Kirishima Jingu (Kirishima Grand Shrine)

Located in Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, this is the largest Jingu (Grand Shrine) in southern Kyushu. The enshrined deities (kami) are Ninigi-no-Mikoto, the principal deity of the descent of the heavenly grandchild (Tenson Korin), along with six other deities associated with this myth, including Amaterasu-Omikami and Konohanasakuya-hime. Tradition holds that the shrine was founded in the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Kinmei. It was originally situated at the foot of Mount Takachiho in the Kirishima Mountains, a site legendary as the place of the heavenly descent. Due to destruction by volcanic eruptions and subsequent relocations, the shrine was moved to its current location in 1484 CE (Bunmei 16). The current main hall (honden), offering hall (heiden), and worship hall (haiden) were constructed in 1715 CE (Shōtoku 5) through the donation of Shimazu Yoshitaka, the lord of the Satsuma Domain. These structures were designated as National Treasures in 2022 CE (Reiwa 4). The vermilion-painted shrine buildings stand out against the deep greenery of Kirishima, making it one of the most famous shrines in Kyushu.