Kitakyushu Attractions｜400-year-old historical sites. A sacred place for praying for love—Okura Yasaka Shrine

#100 Ways to Travel Attractions: Kokura Yasaka Shrine 📍Address: 2-2, Jōnai, Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture 🕰️Business hours: 09:00~17:00 💞Recommended reasons: Founded in 1617, the #Yasaka-jinja Shrine has a history of more than 400 years. It was built by the lord of Kokura, Hosokawa Tadaoki, as the general guardian of the Kokura area. It is also known as the #Gion-Sha and is a holy place for praying for love. The deity enshrined at Yasaka Shrine is Susanoo. Legend has it that his personality is changeable, sometimes violent and sometimes heroic. His most famous deed is the killing of the Yamata-no-Orochi. Thus, he went from being a cruel deity to a folk hero, and is deeply worshipped and respected by the people of Kokura. Transportation Guide: Yasaka Shrine is right next to Kokura Castle. Walk straight along Seiharu-dori Street in front of JR Nishi-Kokura Station for about 10 minutes to reach the shrine. Walk along Heiwa-dori Street in front of JR Kokura Station to the Monorail Heiwa-dori Station, turn right when you see the 7-11 convenience store, and walk slowly for about 20 minutes. There are many shops, restaurants, and shopping centers along the way. You can also take the monorail from JR Kokura Station, get off at Heiwa-dori Station, and walk straight after you see the 7-11 convenience store. From the JR Kokura Station Bus Center, take bus No. 27 or 28 and get off at Kitakyushu City Hall; or take bus No. 8, 9, 36, 43, 45, 46, or 138 and get off at Muromachi River Walk. Walking along the approach to the shrine, you can see two torii gates (stone and wooden), the worship hall, the east tower gate, the Kagura hall, the Konpira-gu shrine, the Komainu, etc. The environment is quiet and the trees are towering. It is very comfortable to walk even in July, the height of summer. Yasaka Shrine is a Gion faith, and the main deity is Susanoo. Therefore, you can pray for the gods' blessings for getting rid of bad luck, getting rid of epidemics, prosperous business, home safety, thriving business, making friends, safe land, sea and air transportation, a good harvest, good health and safety, and a smooth academic career. There are many different gods enshrined in the shrine, such as Okuninushi (the god of prosperous business and marriage), and the "Mizu no Gozusha" which enshrines the "Goin God" of the well, the "Rain God" of Yakumoyama, and the "Mizuhi Goddess". In addition to praying for a prosperous business, people who come here also ask for a love fortune to see how their love luck is!