側高神社 Sobataka Shrine

On 6th November, it occurred to me that I needed to clean up my own state of emotional turmoil caused by an unspeakable outcome somewhere on this planet…
Very luckily, the weather on 7th November was exceptionally beautiful in Kantō Region, and I took an express bus from Bus Terminal Tōkyō Yaesu.

Located in Katori City, Chiba Prefecture (千葉県香取市), Sobataka Shrine 側高神社 is known as the first regent shrine of Katori Jingū 香取神宮, and was founded in the 18th year of Emperor Jimmu's reign according to the legend. Katori Jingū is the head shrine of Katori Shrines throughout Japan, mainly in the Kantō Region and is one of the three major shrines in the eastern part of Japan 東国三社, along with Kashima Jingū 鹿島神宮 in Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Ikisu Shrine 息栖神社 in Kamisu City, Ibaraki Prefecture.

The main deity of this shrine is not to be uttered...due to a reason probably different from "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain". However, "The Records of Katori County" 香取郡誌 published in 1921 says that the main deities are Takamimusubi 高皇産霊尊 & Kamimusubi 神皇産霊尊, the two of the 3 creation gods (The Zōkasanshin, 造化三神), and the following gods are also enshrined:

• Ame-no-Hi-Washi-no-mikoto 天日鷲命

• Futsunushi-no-mikoto 経津主命 --- the main deity of Katori Jingū

• Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto 武甕槌命 --- the main deity of Kashima Jingū

• Ame-no-Koyane-no-mikoto 天児屋根命, and

• Hime-o-kami 姫御神

[NOTE] Hime-o-kami/Himegami does not specify a particular goddess, but often indicates a wife of a god enshrined.

Photos taken on 7th November 2024 (Thu.)

Name post of Sobataka Shrine

Torii gate of Sobataka Shrine

The worship hall

The main shrine (in the back)

Behind the main shrine… a precious moment to regain peace of mind🙏

4 large earthenware pots behind the torii gate, each of which is intended to measure rainfall in each season: spring, summer, fall, and winter, in order to predict the year's abundance and the good fortune of life of people.

Looking at the torii gate from the worship hall, one finds Nageia nagi 梛の木 on the left.
Nageia nagi (梛) has been planted in shrines in Japan since ancient times. The nagi forest at Kasuga-taisha Shrine 春日大社 in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, is designated as a Japanese natural treasure, and the largest tree is reported to be over 1,000 years old.

Sacred tree ご神木 - A thousand year old cedar 35 meters high and 7.4 meters thick

Meoto Sugi 夫婦杉 (couple cedar)

As the photos may tell, it was a beautiful day, and it was very quiet in the precincts though I could hear trucks driving on the highway near the shrine.
All the photos including the header were taken by me .                                  □

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P.S. In Heian Era, or until much later but before Edo Era, the area where Katori Jingū and Sobataka Shrine are located faced an inland sea called Katori Sea 香取海 formerly located in the eastern part of the ancient Kantō Plain connected to the Pacific Ocean, between the prefectures of Ibaraki and Chiba in Japan, influenced by the Holocene glacial retreat 縄文海進.

The following site shows an enlightening map depicting Katori Sea and location of shrines:
https://masa-chan.com/2023/07/30/post-1933/

Shrines and burial mounds around the Katori Sea
香取海を巡る神社と古墳 (by masa-chan)