Nikko Futarasan Shrine

Haiden of the shrine

Arch bridge at the entrance to the San'nai site

The Nikkō Futarasan Shrine ( Japanese 日光二荒山神社 , Nikkō Futarasan-jinja ) in Sannai, Nikkō in Tochigi Prefecture ( Japan ) is a Shintō shrine . The official name is Futarasan Shrine ( 二荒山神社 ), but because of the identically spelled Futaarayama Shrine in the neighboring city of Utsunomiya, both are usually preceded by the place name.

This shrine is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other shrines and temples in Sannai such as the Rinnō-ji or Tōshō-gū .

The shrine is dedicated to the kami of three mountains: Nantai-san , Nyohō-san and Tarō-san. your name is

Ōnamuchi no mikoto (the god who is said to have created this land)
Tagorihime no mikoto (one of his wives)
Ajisukitakahikone no mikoto (both son and a kami of agriculture).

The prayer hall of the shrine ( Haiden ) is very plain and simple. Behind it is the main hall of the shrine ( Honden ) from 1619, the oldest building in Sannai.

A spring at Honden called Futara Reisen is said to donate two different types of water: one is called Sake no izumi , which means sake source. The second is called Chie no izumi ("Source of Wisdom"). Drinking the water is said to help against old age and poor eyesight.

Other attractions of the shrine include the Chinese style entrance gate ( Karamon ), a bronze torii, and a wooden arched bridge.