Atsuta Jingu

熱田神宮

An ancient shrine enshrining Kusanagi, one of the Three Sacred Treasures, set in a sacred grove of towering camphor trees, with a treasure hall full of swords. Be sure to eat the eel rice at Houraiken when you leave the shrine.

Atsuta Jingu is in Atsuta Ward in southern Nagoya. Founded about 1,900 years ago, it enshrines Atsuta Okami, identified with Amaterasu, whose spirit is embodied in the sacred sword. The Kusanagi sword, one of Japan's Three Sacred Treasures, is said in myth to have been wielded by Yamato Takeru and is kept here. The shrine ranks second only to Ise Jingu, and more than 7 million people visit each year. Covering about 190,000 square meters, the grounds are filled with ancient trees, including a camphor tree over a thousand years old that is said to have been planted by Kobo Daishi. Walk through the torii gate and along the approach to the main hall, which was rebuilt in 1935 in the style of divine architecture. The Kokoro no Komichi (Path of the Heart) on the west side of the main hall is a quiet path around its back, where you can get a close view of the rear of the hall and the Kiyomizu-sha shrine, said to improve skin. The Treasure Hall holds more than 6,000 offerings and is especially famous for its swords (admission 500 yen). The Kusanagi-kan, opened in 2021, is dedicated to swords, and lets you feel the weight of a real blade. The grounds also include the Nobunaga Wall, an earthen wall offered after Oda Nobunaga prayed here before the Battle of Okehazama and won, and Nijugo-cho Bridge, Nagoya's oldest stone bridge. Praying is free. A five-minute walk from the south gate is Houraiken Honten, the original shop for three-way eel rice, where a serving costs about 4,000 to 5,000 yen. Lunch requires queuing for over an hour, and there is also a branch in the shrine. At the entrance to the approach, Miya Kishimen serves a bowl of Nagoya's flat noodles that you can eat in the shade. Access: a three-minute walk from Meitetsu Jingu-mae Station, a seven-minute walk from Jingu-nishi Station on the Meijo Subway Line, and an eight-minute walk from JR Atsuta Station. Allow about 1 hour. Note: signs mark areas in front of the main hall where photography is prohibited. Kagura-den prayer ceremonies are held every afternoon, and roads around the shrine are closed during New Year's visits.

Atsuta Jingu

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