Akama Shrine Shimonoseki Yamaguchi

Published on : 28/12/2007
by : Japan Experience

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Akama Shrine is the foremost shrine in the Shimonoseki area and enshrines the Emperor Antoku, the 8-year-old Emperor drowned at the Battle of Dannoura 1185.

Akama Shrine Shimonoseki (Akama Jingu) 赤間神宮

History | Genpei War | Festivals | Access

Akama Shrine, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture

History

Akama Jingu Shrine is the foremost shrine in the Shimonoseki area and enshrines the Emperor Antoku, the 8-year-old Emperor who drowned at the Battle of Dannoura on March 21st, 1185.

Akama Jingu, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture

Genpei War

This famous naval battle was decisive in concluding the Genpei War with the Minamoto (Genji) clan led by Yoshitsune, defeating the Heike (Taira) clan. The battle was fought in the straits directly in front of where the shrine is now.

Shrine buildings

Until the early days of the Meiji Era (1868) and the almost complete make-over of the Japanese religious landscape, Akama Shrine was in fact a Buddhist Temple called Amida-ji, and the architecture reflects this.

Most impressive is the entrance gate Suitenmon (Water Heaven Gate). The front area of the inner shrine (honden) is also unusual in that it is a shallow pool.

Miko shrine maiden, Akama Jingu, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture

The shrine looks and feels almost new because it is! The shrine was rebuilt only 50 years ago.

Another legend associated with Akama is that of Hoichi the Earless, a ghostly tale known by many through its inclusion in Lafcadio Hearn's Kwaidan. The story takes place in the cemetery of Amida-ji and there is a shrine and statue of Hoichi to the left of the main shrine.

Festivals

The Sentei Festival takes place here in the first week of May, and includes a procession of courtesans to commemorate the Taira women who became prostitutes in order to pay for their dead relatives funeral rites.