#2月好去地方202
#2月好去地方2025
In the center of Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, there is a historic Kameyama Hachimangu Shrine quietly guarding this land. Since the first year of the Jōkan period in the Heian period, gods such as Emperor Ojin and Empress Jingu have been enshrined here, and were invited here from Usa Hachimangu Shrine in Oita Prefecture. The locals affectionately call it "Seki no Ujigami-sama" or "Kameyama-sama", and its name is said to come from the ancient island's shape resembling a turtle, or from the name of the mountain in Usa Hachiman. Standing on the top of the shrine, you can have a panoramic view of the Kanmon Strait and Kyushu. Since ancient times, it has been praised by literati and poets as "the best scenic spot in Zhenxi". Even haiku poets in the Edo period left poems praising it.
It is very convenient to reach Kameyama Hachimangu Shrine. It takes only 5 minutes to take a bus from JR Shimonoseki Station to Karato Station, and then another 3 minutes on foot. If you take a ferry from Mojiko Pier, the journey is also 5 minutes, and it is just a short walk after getting off the boat. The shrine is open from 6am to 7pm every day, and the parking lot can accommodate 30 cars, making it suitable for tourists who drive themselves. As you enter the entrance, the first thing that catches your eye is the magnificent Mikage Stone Torii, which is said to be the largest in Japan. Next to it is the "Tokoya Hiroyuki Monument", which commemorates the legendary story of a technician in the Kamakura period who brought back barbering techniques from Korea and opened Japan's first barber shop here.
Before visiting the shrine, I performed the hand-washing ceremony at the hand-water pavilion. The stone turtle in the center of the sink spits out clear spring water, and the long-handled ladle under the wooden roof waits quietly. Use your right hand to scoop water to wash your left hand, then switch hands to wash, and finally rinse your mouth. These simple steps bring a feeling of purity of body and mind. Although the main hall of the shrine is a thousand years old, its appearance is new and obviously has been rebuilt, telling the story of its past from desolation to revival. Successive feudal lords such as the Ouchi and Mori clans donated money for its restoration, and even the Kingdom of Korea participated in the funding, demonstrating its far-reaching influence. There are also goshuin seals available for collection in the country, with regular editions costing around 300 to 500 yen, and special editions costing more, making them a precious souvenir of your trip.
In addition to the main hall, the small shrines within the territory also have their own stories. Ebisu Shrine combines the beliefs of fishing and commerce, and its post-war reconstruction speaks of the prosperity of Shimonoseki; Miyajidake Shrine brings good luck and blessings; Kumataka Inari Shrine is known as "Hinosuke Inari" and guards people's wishes. Another highlight is the world’s largest bronze statue of a pufferfish. After all, this is the hometown of pufferfish, and even the mascot is so eye-catching. Standing on a high place and looking down, the Kanmon Strait is sparkling, and the scenery is so beautiful that people can't help but take a few more pictures, and even want to use a 360-degree camera to record this moment.
This visit was not crowded and the environment was quiet, allowing me to take in the aura and history of the shrine. From the Torii gate to the Temizuya, from the pufferfish statue to the distant sea view, every place carries the unique atmosphere of Shimonoseki. If I come to Xiaguan again, I would like to bring a notebook and write my own poems in this tranquility, and admire the beauty of this first pass of the West Sea together with the ancients.
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