Takachiho Shrine

Takachiho Shrine is the soja (main) shrine of the 88 Takachiho Shrines built about 1,900 years ago. It’s located in Takachiho, Miyazaki prefecture which is a well known spot as a mythical hometown from a scene from Japanese mythology, so many visitors go to Takachiho Shrine to pray for their luck. Takachiho Shrine is widely worshiped as a god of agriculture, marriage, traffic safety, and warding off evil. There are two cedar trees with their trunks fused together called the “Couple cedar” next to the shine. It is said that if you walk around the trees three times, hand in hand with a friend or family member, you will be blessed with the luck as above.

Takachiho Shrine is a well known spot as a mythical hometown so many visitors go there to pray for their luck.

Things to Do in Takachiho Shrine

Takachiho Shrine is also renowned for Night Kagura(Yokagura), an ancient dance ritual performance which visitors can watch at the kagura hall. At the kagura hall in the shrine, Kagura music and dance dedicated to Shinto gods are performed for visitors for an hour from 8pm to 9pm every night. The four episodes of the 33 episodes are selected as the iconic dance, and English explanatory materials are also available.

How to Get to Takachiho Shrine

Recommended way to get to Takachiho Shrine is by taking a route bus from Takachiho bus center bound for Takachiho onsen/Kawauchi or visitors can walk from Takachiho bus center which is about 1km to get to the site. Visitors need to take the local bus to the Takachiho bus center which is accessible from the local train station.

Recommended way to get to Takachiho Shrine is to take a route bus from Takachiho bus center bound for Takachiho onsen/Kawauchi.