Tajima Shrine

Tajima Shrine

Tajima Shrine Tashima Shrine of Kabeshima Island is said to be the oldest in Hizen. The Matsura pirates and fishermen of Genkai Sea would pray to the three goddesses of this shrine for rescue when they were confronted with the perils of the sea, and this shrine, which is known widely to enshrine the guardian of the sea, has a torii donated by Yorimitsu Minamoto, as well as an anchor stone and regent stone said to have been used by Hideyoshi Toyotomi when his troops were camped at Nagoya Castle. There are also samurai tools donated by the Matsura samurai, making this a place were one will certainly sense the history. The treasure of the shrine is the sword with the signature of Yoshitsugu from Bitchu Province (modern day Okayama prefecture). This sword has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Moreover, Tashima Shrine also houses Sayo Hime Shrine, which is shrouded in the legend of Princess Sayo Matsura, as told in "Hizen Fudoki". The statue of Princess Sayo is said to have been created when Princess Sayo, upon bidding her beloved Sadehiko Otomo farewell as he set sail for the Korean Peninsula, turned to stone out of sheer sadness. There is also a monument featuring a poem, "Love for One's Husband", which touches the hearts of all those who read it.

 


● Access:
From train station: 40-minute taxi ride from Karatsu Station on the JR Karatsu Line and Chikuhi Line
Car: 60-minute drive from Nagasaki Expressway Taku IC
Bus: Get on Showa Bus bound for Yobuko at Oteguchi Bus Center, get off at Yobuko (terminal), change to a bus bound for Kabeshima, get off at Kabeshima Chubu stop, and walk for 3 minutes


● Parking Lot: Accommodates 30 cars (free of charge)


● Contacts:
Yobuko Branch Office, Yobuko City Office, Tel: +81-955-53-7165
Tajima Shrine Office, Tel: +81-955-82-3347

Map

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