wada jinja

Wada Shrine, also known as Wadamiya, is located in Wada-miya-dori, Hyogo Ward, Kobe City. It enshrines three deities: Amenominakanushi no Kami, Ichikishimahime no Kami, and Hiruko no Kami. According to tradition, the site where Hiruko no Kami arrived by boat from Awaji Island was called the "Forest of Hiruko," marking the shrine's original sacred ground. In 1173, Taira no Kiyomori enshrined Ichikishimahime, and in 1658 a mikoshi bearing Amenominakanushi drifted ashore as a divine omen. The lord of Amagasaki Castle, moved by this miracle, built a shrine hall and named the deity the Myojin of Wada. In 1902, the shrine was relocated to its present site, where it continues to be venerated as the guardian of the local community.