Sakitori Jinja

Sakitori Jinja is an ancient shrine said to have been founded approximately 1,600 years ago during the reign of Emperor Nintoku, with Uji no Waka Iratsuko no Mikoto as its principal deity. The shrine name "Sakitori" means to take precedence in all matters—specifically, proficiency in learning and the arts—and has been revered since ancient times as a god of scholarship. From the Nara through Heian periods, it held a position of high esteem as the Fourth Shrine of Sagami Province and received thick veneration from the imperial court. The shrine's sacred pond has long been known for its miraculous efficacy and is a celebrated site featured in numerous classical poems. It remains a shrine of wisdom where many students seeking academic achievement and craftspeople pursuing skill improvement come to pay their respects.