shiogama jinja

This shrine was established as an independent shrine in 1917, elevated from its status as the purification site of Tamatsushima Shrine. The principal deity, Shiotsuchi no Oji, resides within the Koshi no Iwaya, a natural cave formed in the southern face of Mount Kagami. This cave has long served as a sacred site where the portable shrine was placed during the hamaori ritual procession. In the Edo period, a local saying ranked it as the fourth most beloved site in Wakayama. It remains a beloved guardian of safe childbirth to this day.