Shinmei Shrine (Ishigami-san)
The ama divers' shrine, said to grant one wish to every woman.
History and Divine Virtue
Shinmei Shrine is the tutelary shrine of Osatsu in Toba, a town famous for its ama, the traditional women free-divers. Its principal deity is Amaterasu Omikami, and the small auxiliary shrine on its approach is the sanctuary affectionately known as "Ishigami-san." Ishigami-san enshrines Tamayorihime no Mikoto, held to be the mother of Emperor Jinmu, to whom the diving women have long prayed for safety in the sea and abundant catches. Because it is said that she "will grant one wish, if made by a woman," the shrine now draws women worshippers from all over Japan. The star-shaped seiman and lattice-shaped doman, talismanic marks handed down among the ama as protection against evil, appear on the shrine's amulets and goshuin (shrine stamps) — a motif found only in Osatsu. The rite of worship is to write a single wish on the prayer slip provided and place it in the wish box. Though a small shrine nestled into its village, it carries into the present the faith of a town that lives with the sea.
Visiting Notes
- Write one wish only, with your whole heart, on the prayer slip, and place it in the wish box before Ishigami-san.
- Amulets bearing the seiman and doman marks derive from the protective talismans of the ama divers.
- The nearby Osatsu Ama Culture Museum tells the story of the divers' lives and the faith behind Ishigami-san.
Deities and Location
- Enshrined Deities
- Amaterasu Ōmikami (main shrine), Tamayorihime no Mikoto (Ishigami-san)
- Location
- 三重県鳥羽市相差町 (Mie)
- Access
- From Toba Station (JR and Kintetsu), take the Kamome bus to the Osatsu stop, then walk about 5 minutes
- Lineage
- En-musubi: Bonds & Love
Visiting hours, goshuin (shrine stamps), and festival dates change; please confirm the latest information through each shrine's official announcements. If you find an error in this entry, we would be grateful if you let us know.
