Honzumiyoshi Jinja

Honzumiyoshi Jinja, located in Higashi-Nada Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, is an ancient shrine with a former rank of prefectural shrine (kensha). According to shrine tradition, on her return from the Three Han Expedition, Empress Jingu's ship could no longer advance until she received a divine oracle and enshrined the three Sumiyoshi deities here at the place called 'Otsununakura-no-Nagahama.' The shrine has long been called 'Honzumiyoshi' (the original Sumiyoshi), and its own tradition holds that the great Sumiyoshi Taisha in Osaka was later established as a branch of this shrine. The shrine suffered significant damage in the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake but was subsequently restored. A grand festival featuring eight danjiri floats continues to be held on May 4th and 5th, drawing deep devotion from the local community.