Samuhara Shrine (Oku no Miya, the Inner Shrine)

History and Divine Virtue

Set atop a low hill in Kamo, Tsuyama, Okayama Prefecture, this shrine enshrines the Zoka Sanshin — the three deities of creation who, according to the Kojiki, appeared at the very dawn of heaven and earth: Ame no Minakanushi no Kami, Takamimusubi no Kami, and Kamimusubi no Kami. The four characters "Samuhara" are held to be sacred script that protects the body, and the shrine has long drawn faith in safe passage through life and protection from bullets. The Samuhara Shrine in Nishi Ward, Osaka, is said to have begun when Tanaka Tomisaburo, a businessman born in this district, restored the small shrine of his home village; this Oku no Miya, the inner shrine, is regarded as the birthplace of the Samuhara faith. After the ring-shaped amulet known as the Goshinkan, bestowed at the Osaka shrine, became widely known, worshippers began traveling from across the country to seek out its source. No priest is in permanent residence, and the quiet hilltop sanctuary, with the gentle countryside of Kamo spread below, preserves the air of a true hidden shrine. Among worshippers it is sometimes said that "only those who are called can reach Samuhara Shrine," and that those with a true bond to the shrine will one day be summoned. The saying is held to have grown from the voices of visitors themselves — the shrine stands on a hilltop deep in the countryside and is not easy to find, and the Goshinkan ring amulet of the Osaka shrine is bestowed only irregularly and is difficult to obtain — so that simply arriving here came to be received as a sign of connection. It is not a tradition set down by the shrine itself; and yet, when one finally stands at the foot of the stone stairway after losing the way more than once, the feeling behind the words settles naturally into the heart.

Visiting Notes

• The sanctuary sits at the top of a stone stairway climbing from the foot of the hill. No priest is stationed here; goshuin seals and other matters are handled by the Osaka shrine.
• The ring-shaped Goshinkan amulet is bestowed only at the Samuhara Shrine in Nishi Ward, Osaka — take care not to confuse it with this inner shrine.
• The saying that "only those who are called can visit" is said to have arisen from visitors' own accounts, born of the shrine's hard-to-find location and the scarcity of the Goshinkan amulet. Public transport is sparse, so checking the route in advance is reassuring.
• From the Hizumeyama observation deck near the sanctuary, the tranquil townscape of Kamo unfolds in a single view.

Deities and Location

Enshrined Deities

Ame no Minakanushi no Kami, Takamimusubi no Kami, Kamimusubi no Kami

Location

岡山県津山市加茂町中原 (Okayama)

Access

About 5 minutes by car from Mimasaka-Kamo Station on the JR Inbi Line, or by car from the Tsuyama Interchange on the Chugoku Expressway.

Lineage

Purification & Renewal

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.