Aritooshi(Ant passing through) Jinjya(Shrine)
According to the legend story, once upon a time, the Tang Dynasty in China gave Japan three
difficult questions to answer in order to turn Japan into one of its vassal states. Among the three questions,the third most difficult one was to pass a thread through a gem with a convoluted and narrow tunnel formed by the cavity inside. This problem was solved by tying a thread to the tiny waist of an ant that was lured by the honey which had been spread around the exit of the narrow tunnel on the other side
of the gem in advance.
There is a pond and the monument to which Kino Tsurayuki dedicated waka poems on his pilgrimage way
to Kii(currently Wakayama). Moreover, Katsushika Hokusai based some of his arts on Aritooshi Shrine and
created art prints that were closely related to the Shrine.
The Main Enshrined Deities are the Shrine of Wisdom , Benzaiten Shrine (God of Wealth), Ashikami Shrine
and Millions of Gods (“Yaoyorozu-no-Kami” in Japanese). It is said that Ashikami Shrine has divine blessings for our waists as well as legs and millions of Gods for headaches.
The Shrine was originally located along the side of Kumano-kaido Road but it was relocated to the current place for the construction of the airport at the time of World War Ⅱ.
The Noh Theater, also known as “Takigi-Noh”, is performed at night by a bonfire in Autumn.
This Shrine is registered as the National tangible cultural property.
Address:
814 Nagataki, Izumisano City, Osaka MAP
Phone No.:
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