Manai Shrine

History and Divine Virtue

The inner shrine (okumiya) of Kono Shrine, with Toyouke no Okami as its principal deity. About ten minutes' walk uphill from Kono Shrine, behind its sanctuary rest iwakura — sacred rocks that preserve to this day the form of the most ancient rites. As a place that keeps the shape of primeval worship, when deities were invited into stone before shrine buildings existed, it is often called one of Japan's foremost sacred sites. Anciently known also as "Yosa-no-Miya," it forms the heart of the Moto-Ise tradition, in which Amaterasu Omikami and Toyouke no Okami were worshipped here together. The spring within the grounds, the Ame-no-Manai water, has been carefully protected as sacred water. This is a place of quiet prayer: rules of worship are laid down, including a prohibition on photography around the iwakura, so compose your heart and visit in stillness. Seeking the air of a place of prayer unchanged since antiquity, worshippers travel quietly here from all over Japan.

Visiting Notes

• The iwakura behind the sanctuary preserve the traces of an ancient ritual site. Photography is forbidden behind the main hall; observe the rules of worship.
• The Ame-no-Manai water welling up at the purification font is known as sacred water.
• Visiting together with the main sanctuary of Kono Shrine is the time-honored custom.

Deities and Location

Enshrined Deities

Toyouke no Ōkami

Location

京都府宮津市字大垣 (Kyoto)

Access

About a 10-minute walk from Kono Shrine

Lineage

Moto-Ise & Mythology

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.