Top Things to do in Takachiho-cho
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Top 10 Sacred & Religious Sites in Takachiho-cho, Kyushu
Discover the best top things to do in Takachiho-cho, Japan including Hutagami Shrine, Eight Dragon King God of Water Shrine, Amano Iwato Shrine, Amano Yasugawara, Kaguraden, Kushifuru Shrine, Nanamoto Sugi, Takachiho Shrine, Ame no Tajikarao Kami Statue, Aratate Shrine.
Restaurants in Takachiho-cho
1. Hutagami Shrine
2. Eight Dragon King God of Water Shrine
3. Amano Iwato Shrine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 387 reviews
Reviewed By kirstine2013 - Albuquerque, United States
This simple shrine honors the sun goddess, Amasterasu & the cave she hides in during the winter months. In each shrine is a beautiful silver-blue disc representing her power. Every 30 minutes, one of the priests opens the gate behind the shrine so we can view the actual cave (speaks only in Japanese). Leaving the shrine, walk 5 mins down the road to the entrance to a serene river & a different cave. Here there are multiple pagodas. Without any other information, I believe these may represent stone pagados built near other riverbeds, to prevent dead children being taken into hell or the underworld, a pre-Buddhist myth.
4. Amano Yasugawara
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 390 reviews
Reviewed By kirstine2013 - Albuquerque, United States
Located just 3 minute walk from the Amano-Iwato shrine, past cafes, descend the steps, over a stone bridge & listen to the sound of the gentle river flowing through a highly spiritual place. Even though the cave at the end is not the one that Amaterasu hid in (that can be viewed from lookout behind the shrine (viewing on hour & half hour) it is spectacular because of the plethora of stone pagodas. Without explanation, I believe these may symbolize pagodas built by lost/dead children (or their parents) at a Sai no Kawara, a riverbed which leads to hell. It is said an ogre keeps knocking down the pagodas but a Bodhisattva shields pagodas & the children to avoid hell.
5. Kaguraden
6. Kushifuru Shrine
7. Nanamoto Sugi
8. Takachiho Shrine
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 462 reviews
Reviewed By tanjas662 - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Takachiho Shrine, or Ama-no-Iwato-ninja is a place of peace and quiet and contemplation. The Shinto Shrine is honouring the cave where Amaterasu hid. In Japanese mythology, Amaterasu is the Sun Goddess and the most sacred of all Shinto deities. Amaterasu, in fury and grief because of bad deeds by her brother, hid inside the Ama-no-Iwato (heavenly rock cave), effectively blocking the sun. Very old trees. Some 800 years old. According to myth, those who walk, clockwise, three times around a very old tree, will never part. So walk around we did. Three times! Huge entrance gate, dwarfing people. No special dressing code required.
