Oasahiko Jinja (Oasahiko Shrine)
おおあさひこじんじゃ
The first of the Awa Province shrines (Awa no Ichinomiya). This ancient shrine is renowned for its sacred tree (mikimi) over a thousand years old and the German Bridge.
Overview
The enshrined deities (kami) are Oasahiko-no-Okami (the ancestral deity of the Awa Kibitsu clan) and Sarutahiko-no-Okami. It is recorded as a Meishin Taisha (Great Shrine of Renowned Gods) and the first of the Awa Province shrines in the Engishiki (a 927 CE (Engi 2) legal codex). The 'O-kun' (Great Camphor Tree) in front of the main hall (honden) is a sacred tree (mikimi) over a thousand years old and is designated as a natural monument by Naruto City. In the back of the sacred grounds (shin-iki), the 'German Bridge' and 'Megane Bridge' (spectacle bridge) remain. These stone arch bridges were constructed by German prisoners of war at the Bando POW camp during World War I and are cherished as symbols of international exchange.
Enshrined deity / legend
Oasahiko-no-Okami and Sarutahiko-no-Okami
Highlights
- ・The O-kun (Great Camphor Tree) over a thousand years old
- ・German Bridge (stone bridge built by German prisoners of war)
- ・Megane Bridge (spectacle bridge)
- ・Awa no Ichinomiya (First Shrine of Awa Province)
Details may change. Please check official sources before visiting.