ENOSHIMA-JINJA SHRINE

by Ala on in Japan - Enoshima

Let us pray for good fortune at one of the “Three Great Shrines of Benzaiten”. There are three Bentens = Three Great Shrines of Benzaiten in Japan and this is one of them. And be careful – it consists of three shrines, too.  🙂

Enoshima-jinja Shrine consists of three shrines – Hetsunomyia, Nakatsunomiya and Okutsunomiya – each dedicated to a different Shinto goddess. These enshrined  three sister goddesses are: Tagitsuhimenomikoto, Ichikishimahimenomikoto and Tagirihimenomikoto.

Goddess Benzaiten is the goddess of the sea, water and fortune. They bring happiness and riches as well as artistic success. The shrine is also famous for en-musubi = matchmaking. The history of this shrine dates back to 552 AD. The Benzaiten at Hoan-den is considered one of Japan´s three primary Benzaiten images. This particular Benzaiten is believed to assist those pursuing the arts.

But blessings in these shrines include wealth and prosperity, good marriage and so they are  very popular with pilgrims. Many of them come despite of the fact that it is not so easy to visit all three of the shrines. You need quite a good level of fitness. However, if you are not, there luckily are charged escalators available and they help.

Red torii and Zuishinmon Gate 

Even to get to the Red torii at the entrance to the shrine one has to walk uphills as the road towards the torii leads from the Enoshima Benten-bashi bridge under bronze torii gate and then up the Benzaiten Nakamise shopping street. Steps in front of the Red torii, and still many steps behind them towards the Zuishinmon Gate. And then yet more steps to get to the first shrine – Hetsunomyia.

Hetsunomiya = the brown building with teal roof is the first of three buildings of Enoshima Shrine you see when your successfully overcome the first flights of steps after the Zuishinmon gate. Next to it is  Hoanden = the red octagonal building  
Hetsunomyia – enshrines Tagitsuhimenomikoto. This majestic worship hall was moved to the island by the Buddhist monk Ryoshin in 1206. The present building was remodeled in 1976 
Hoanden = Octagonal Hall for the Statues. Inside two precious statues of Benzaiten are preserved:  1/ Happi Benten – with eight hands, it is appr. 800 years old and it is a mosaic made of cypress trees,  2/ Myóon Benten – is naked, holds a biwa, it is appr. 600 years old and it is made of wood and painted white. There are other precious religious objects inside, too 
It is forbidden to take photos in Hoanden and so I took this photo from a poster  😀 

To get to the second of the three shrines, be ready for more steps again. But it can bee fun too, as there are beautiful views. For seeing these views, please go to my article ENOSHIMA.

Nakatsunomyia – was built by a priest Jikaku Daishi in 853 to worship the deity Ichikishimahimenomikoto. The present shrine hall was rebuilt in 1689 and then remodelled again in 1996 

And more walking on little paths and taking steps upstairs and downstairs, but many more beautiful views of the ocean…  Plenty of restaurants and cafes help, too.  🙂 And only then finally the third shrine appears…

Okutsunomyia – enshrines Tagirihimenomikoto. In late Edo period it was called the “Hongu Otabisho” – meaning that it was the hall where Benzaiten resided from April to October to avoid typhoon-driven floods in the Iwaya Cave, that is here in Enoshima.  This shrine was thoroughly remodeled in 2011