Ikuta-jinja ー the shrine in the heart of Kobe

Published on : 08/01/2015
by : K.P.

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Sanctuaire Ikuta à Kobe
© Zion C, Unsplash

The origins of Kobe

It's one of Japan's oldest shrines, dating back some 18 centuries. Sometimes, the entrance to Ikuta-jinja is filled with advertisements for local crafts. But don't be fooled: this is a demonstration of the shrine's importance to the city.

From the outside, it doesn't look like much. Yet the Ikuta-jinja shrine has left its mark on Japanese history and geography.

Small in size...

Located in the heart of downtown Kobe, the Ikuta-jinja is the archetypal Shinto shrine. Backing onto a small forest, it was the scene of some fighting during the Gempei War, the conflict that began the Kamakura era (1185 - 1333). In contrast to this violence, Ikuta-jinja is today a serene place, punctuated by the sound of its small waterfall. Beneath its air of a neighborhood sanctuary rarely crowded with people (except during matsuri), the Ikuta-jinja hides its history.

Ikuta Shrine, Kobe
© Saigen Jiro, wikimedias

... Great by history

According to the Nihon Shoki, which chronicles Japan's ancient history, it was founded in 201 by Empress Jingu. Naturally, the city grew up around it. A little later, in 806, the emperor assigned some forty kande, families devoted to the temples, to the upkeep of the Ikuta-jinja. And in Japanese, the kanji for kanbe (神戸) can be pronounced... Kobe! The area around the shrine thus took on this name, which now designates the entire city.

The shrine is located in the center of Kobe, in the ultra-vibrant Sannomiya district. As you stroll through the city, the Ikuta-jinja offers a calm, relaxing pause in your journey.