Rokko Hachimangu Shrine
One of my favorite in Kobe. Particular for the shrine is that it is completely submerged in ancient forest – not only the honden (the main building) but the complete complex including the path to it (you will see it on one of the photos).
The easiest way to reach is Hankyu railway line (Rokko station) – the station is literally next to the shrine. Alternatively you can take JR (Rokkomichi station) but you will have to walk 10-15 minutes toward the mountain (the only advantage of this approach is that you will enter the shrine from the main entrance (not from behind as it is the case with Hankyu Rokko station)).
In case you are interested in history – the shrine was established in 1026 during the reign of Emperor Goichi. Later Taira Kiyomori (a powerful general from Heian period) relocated at the same places another Hachiman shrine (the famous Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu Shrine) from Kyoto.
First – the dragon from the water spring (I think I am getting obsessed with them but they are really beautiful):
Here is the haiden (oratory) of the shrine (notice the red vortexes on the paper lanterns – the symbols of Hachiman the God of War and protector of Japan):
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A glimpse of Rokko Hachimangu’s honden – the real dwelling of the kami in Shinto shrine (no mortals are allowed there):
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There is a small Inari shrine deeper in the forest. To reach it you must pass by trees like this:
And the Inari shrine itself with the guardian foxes and bakus (the elehpant like creatures eating dreams and nightmares):
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Usually you have small shisas protecting the Inari shrine together with the foxes but here they were missing. You can find them though on the roof of the entrance of the shrine (the haiden) (the shisas were really small – all the pictures below are taken with optical zoom 16 to 20):
I am not sure if it is a rule but it seems that if you have guardian foxes in the Inari shrine you can have only baku or shisa additionally as protective spirits. But if the foxes are missing – than you need both shisa and baku to protect the small shrines.
I would like to finish this post with a picture of a metal lantern form the shrine. It is thanks to the vortex on this lantern that I realized that I was in yet another – god of the war Shinto shrine (it is really nice when you start to be able to “read” at least some of the Shinto signs (and kanji)).
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