Saturday, September 10, 2022

Kozugu Shrine

Japan Shrines


Osaka is rarely seen as a major tourist destination, especially compare with it nearby neighbour, Kyoto, but actually, Osaka is a more historic city except that it was completely flattened during WWII and the subsequent postwar development, whereas Kyoto escaped the war completely.


Kozu Shrine was originally founded just a few years after Kyoto was established as the new capital. Emperor Seiwa established the shrine at what was believed to be the site of the palace lived in by Emperor Nintoku who is the kami enshrined here.


There is almost no verifiable history about Nintoku although the largest keyhole tomb in all of Japan is said to be his. He was a son of Ojin who was apparently a new lineage of "emperors" around the 4th or 5th centuries and who were based in what is now the Osaka area.


The shrine was moved to its current location from its original by Hideyoshi in the late 16th century when he was building Osaka Castle.


There is a large Inari shrine within the grounds that is very popular, and the shrine is known for its rakugo performances.


It is located just across from the small Houonin Temple that I visited on my second day of walking along the Kinki Fudo Myo pilgrimage.


The Shitennoji and Tennoji areas of Osaka that I had been walking through have a surprisingly large number of historic shrines and temples, though they are all modern rebuildings.


Ramune

2 comments:

  1. What do they do with all the little statuettes people leave at those shrines? There must be a lot after a while & I suppose they want to free up space for others to put something down. Are they just thrown in the bin? Or recycled through flea markets, second hand shops or as little gifts?

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    1. I am not sure,,though I am fairly certain the two options you suggest are not done. I have revisited many of these and never seen anything removed...... certain things, like old statues, shimenawa ropes, old torii et are just left to decompose..... some things with an "annual" life are ceremoniously burnt

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