Kokura | Yasaka Shrine, the home of Lord Haruyoshi, the strongest male deity, Susanoo-no-Mikoto, who killed the Yamata no Orochi

When talking about Kokura Yasaka Shrine, we have to mention the first feudal lord, Hosokawa Tadaoki. According to legend, after the Battle of Sekigahara, Hosokawa Tadaoki became the daimyo of Buzen Province and Bungo County. One day, Hosokawa Tadaoki, who became the first lord of the domain, was hunting eagles on the mountain and saw a small stone temple overgrown with weeds. He used his walking stick to push away the weeds to see which god was inside. Unexpectedly, an eagle suddenly flew over and pecked his eyes. Hosokawa Tadaoki believed that he was too reckless and offended the gods, so he decided to build a solemn shrine in Zumonoshi-cho near Kokura Castle. Unexpectedly, just when the Yasaka Shrine was almost completed, Hosokawa Tadaoki's eyes miraculously healed.

The main deity of Yasaka Shrine is Susanoo, the most powerful male god in Japanese mythology, who is famous for killing the Yamata no Orochi. According to legend, he was the younger brother of Amaterasu, and was banished to Izumo for causing trouble in Takama-ga-hara. When he was in Izumo, he met a crying old couple and learned that the couple had eight daughters, seven of whom were eaten by a giant snake. The snake had eight heads and eight tails, and its body was as big as eight mountains and canyons. Susanoo was ordered to cut the Yamata no Orochi into pieces with the Kusanagi sword, one of the three sacred swords of Japan. The eighth daughter he rescued, Kushina Tahimei, later became his wife.
The story, which is like that of Greek mythology, also gives Yasaka Shrine a romantic touch.
📍Address: 2-2 Jonai, Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 803-0813 Japan
🚗Take bus No. 27 or 28 from Kokura Station and get off at Kitakyushu City Hall.
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Post by 旅行中的野馬 | Apr 1, 2025