Ōarai Isosaki Shrine and the Kamiiso torii

photo by Saigen Jiro · Public domain

photo by t.kunikuni · CC BY-SA 2.0

At the winter solstice the sun rises framed by the torii on the rocks of Kamiiso.

The Kamiiso torii stands on the rocks where tradition holds that the deity came down, beaten by the waves at every tide: around the winter solstice the rising sun lines up almost in the centre of the arch, a moment that draws photographers all year round. The daimyo Tokugawa Mitsukuni wrote about it in a poem, contrasting the light of the moon with the waves breaking on the rocks.

Shinto shrine on the Ōarai coast: tradition holds that the deity came down in the distant past right onto the rocks of Kamiiso, facing the sea. The torii that marks that spot has become the symbol of the whole town, as well as of the shrine.

ℹ️ Gate open 5:30–18:00 from May to August, 6:00–17:00 from September to April; prayers 9:00–15:30, amulets 8:30–16:30. On foot, about 40 minutes (3 km) from Ōarai Station, or the ‘Kaiyūgō’ bus in 15 minutes; 15 minutes by car from the Mito-Ōarai interchange. Car park open from dawn to 19:00, no overnight parking.

🚉 大洗神社前 · 2 min walk

Sources: oarai-isosakijinja.net · oarai-isosakijinja.net · ja.wikipedia.org

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