Amanohashidate Shrine

Amanohashidate, one of Japan’s Three Scenic Views, is a breathtaking natural sandbar stretching 3.6 kilometers in an elegant arc, covered with lush pine trees. Known as "Hashidate Myojin," Amanohashidate Shrine is located about a 10-minute walk from the rotating bridge and the Otenbashi Bridge, quietly nestled among the pine-lined path.

Originally built as the guardian shrine of Chion-ji Temple’s Monju-do Hall, this shrine is dedicated to the Eight Great Dragon Kings, inspired by the dragon-related legends surrounding Amanohashidate. According to one such tale, the Dragon God formed the sandbar overnight. Another legend, the "Floating Bridge of Heaven," tells of a heavenly ladder that fell to earth, creating Amanohashidate as a passage for a celestial god to visit a goddess on earth. These stories have made the shrine a popular power spot, particularly for romance. Visitors often embark on a "three-shrine pilgrimage" to Amanohashidate Shrine, Motoise Kono Shrine, and Manai Shrine, said to bring success in love.

To the left of the main shrine stands "Iso-shimizu," a mysterious freshwater well despite the shrine being surrounded by the sea. Praised in the poems of Heian-era poet Izumi Shikibu, it has also been selected as one of Japan’s "Top 100 Famous Waters." Visitors are encouraged to purify their hands here before praying, though the water is not for drinking.