See & Do
Isonokami Jingu Shrine

1st Century BCE

One of the oldest shrines in Japan, where nature, history, and belief live in harmony. A sacred place beloved by locals, and revered by those far and wide.

The sun shines through trees of the lush forest onto the moss-covered stones, wooden structures, and gravel of the shrine. The grounds echo with the crowing of chickens, which trot freely around the shrine pond. The oldest path in Japan, the Yamanobe-no-Michi path, runs along the edge of the pond, continuing south and north, through orchards, temples, shrines, and countless tombs.

The deity enshrined here is a deified sword called Futsunomitama, protector of the nation and departed souls, and said to have been used by Emperor Jinmu, the first emperor of Japan.

Isonokami Jingu shrine is thought to go back at least 2,000 years, a time when one of the most powerful clans of Japan stored swords and weapons here. A time before there was a main hall, when visitors prayed to a sacred, forbidden ground. When researchers excavated this forbidden ground in 1874, they found a sacred sword and many other precious items buried there, thought to be from the 3rd or 4th century CE. Today, the shrine preserves many national treasure and important cultural artifacts, which include the worship hall, the Shichishito sword, and many other items and structures on the shrine grounds.

Every morning, the priests of Isonokami Jingu perform a morning prayer ritual, open to the public. The chickens step out of their cages, and visitors step onto the gravel of the shrine’s long approach.

In its long history, Isonokami Jingu shrine has been a sacred place for countless people. Whether a destination or a place to begin your journey, we hope that you too can feel the sacred beauty of this ancient shrine.

Access

By train: Isonokami Jingu shrine is about 2 km east of both JR and Kintetsu Tenri Stations.

By car: Isonokami Jingu shrine is about 2 km south of the Tenri Higashi IC on the Meihan Expressway, and 4 km southeast of the Tenri IC on the Nishi-Meihan Expressway.

Environment

The shrine is located in a lush, green forest in the quiet foothills east of the center of the city. Where deities and nature co-exist along the Yamanobe-no-Michi path, its tranquil, sacred aura is even more beautiful in the rain.

Point

Isonokami Jingu shrine has a number of national treasures and important cultural artifacts. The two national treasures that are available to the public throughout the year are the worship hall of Isonokami Jingu shrine, as well as worship hall of its auxiliary shrine, Izumotakeo Jinja shrine. The beautiful wooden structures have been cared for and passed down through generations.

Map

Information

Course：	Yamanobe-no-Michi (South) Course Tenri Station Area Course
Address：	384 Furu Town, Tenri City, Nara Prefecture
Admission：
Parking：	Yes
Rest Area：	Yes
Toilet：	Yes
Contact：
Website：	Isonokami Jingu Shrine Homepage
Social Media：

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