Samukawa Shrine


Samukawa Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the town of Samukawa in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. This shrine is one of the most famous shrines around Tokyo, where about 2 million people visit each year.

History

The origins of Samukawa Shrine are unknown. Unverifiable shrine legend states that it was founded during the reign of Emperor Yūryaku. The main kami of Samukawa Shrine is the Samukawa Daimyojin, an amalgamation of the male Samukawa-hiko no mikoto and the female Samukawa-hime no mikoto. Both were local kami.
The earliest written records indicate that the shrine was rebuilt in the year 727, and its name also appears in the Shoku Nihon Kōki entry for the year 846.
Samukawa was designated as the chief Shinto shrine for the former Sagami province.
From 1871 through 1946, Sumakawa was officially designated one of the Kokuhei Chūsha, meaning that it stood in the mid-range of ranked, nationally significant shrines.

Festivals

The main festival of the shrine is held annually on September 20, and features yabusame performances. During the Setsubun festival in February, illuminated paper figures are hung from the main gate in a style similar to that of the Nebuta in Aomori Prefecture.

Related information

in New York City has a Mikoshi donated by Samukawa Shrine.