Kashima Jingu (Kashima Grand Shrine)

Located in Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, this ancient shrine has long been deeply revered by the Imperial Court and samurai families as the Ichinomiya (chief shrine) of Hitachi Province. The enshrined deity is Take-Mikazuchi Ookami, the god of Japan's foundation and martial arts. Regarded as one of the oldest shrines in the eastern region, it is said to have been founded in the first year of Emperor Jimmu's reign (traditionally 660 BCE). It is collectively known as the 'Sancha of the East' together with Katori Jingu in Chiba Prefecture and Ikutsuki Shrine in Hitachi-Naka City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Take-Mikazuchi Ookami is a martial deity who played a key role in the 'myth of the ceding of the land' recorded in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, and was also revered as a clan deity by the Fujiwara family. The 'Yose-Ishi' (cornerstone) within the shrine grounds is a sacred stone said to suppress the head of a giant catfish that causes earthquakes. The Okumiya (inner sanctuary) is a shrine building donated by Tokugawa Ieyasu in gratitude for his victory at the Battle of Sekigahara. Over 90 festivals are held annually, and distinctive ancient rituals such as the Sai-to Matsuri, Hakuba Matsuri, and Yabusame (horseback archery) continue to be preserved.