Aratate Shrine
荒立神社
Said to be where Sarutahiko and Ame-no-Uzume married; visitors strike seven wooden boards in sequence to pray for love and artistic skill
Aratate Shrine enshrines Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto, who guided the heavenly grandson's descent, and Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto, the goddess whose dance lured Amaterasu out of the cave. Legend says the two gods were wed here, and the name 'Aratate' (rough-hewn) comes from the shrine being built in haste with unplaned timber. Seven wooden boards hang before the shrine, and visitors strike them in order while making a wish. It's popular with people praying for love and with performing artists. The shrine is small, and a visit takes 20–30 minutes. It's free and about a 5-minute walk from Kushifuru Shrine.
Opening hours
All day (free)
Nearby sights
- Kushifuru Shrine
- Takachiho Amaterasu Railway
- Takachiho Shrine & Yokagura
- Takachiho Gorge & Manai Falls
- Tunnel no Eki
- Kunimigaoka
- Amano Iwato Shrine
- Hachidai Ryuo Suijin