Enoshima Shrine

Enoshima Shrine, consisting of the three shrines of Hetsu-gu, Nakatsu-gu, and Oku-gu, is famous as a power spot with the benefit of matchmaking. Not only for love luck, but also for many other benefits such as financial luck and luck in competitions, it is a prestigious shrine counted as one of the three major Benzaiten in Japan. On the island, there is a power spot for love called "Lover's Hill Ryuko Bell," and many young people and couples visit it, with many padlocks hung on the fence under the bell by lovers. The view is also wonderful and it's a pleasant place, so why not visit it along with a visit to Enoshima Shrine?

After passing through the souvenir shops lining the Benten Nakamise Street from the "Bronze Torii Gate" and climbing the stone steps, you will see the "Mizushinmon Gate" in front of the vermilion torii gate. This gate was built to resemble the palace of the dragon god in the famous folktale "Urashima Taro" and was named so that visitors could pray with a fresh and pure heart. The walls and ceilings are decorated with paintings of peonies and Karajishi lions by Kataoka Kahyo, symbolizing the protection of the enshrined deity and praying that no disasters will befall the visitors.

Hetsu Shrine (Hetsumiya) can be seen after climbing the stone steps for about 3-5 minutes from the vermilion torii gate. It is located at the entrance (north) of the island and enshrines the water deity, Tagitsuhime-no-mikoto. As it is located at the bottom of the shrine area with varying elevations on Enoshima Island, it is also called "Shimonomiya" (lower shrine). As it is located at the entrance of the island, most of the shrine's prayers are performed here. It is a place where you can feel the sacred air.

About a 5-minute walk from Hetsu Shrine, you will find Nakatsu Shrine, which is dedicated to Ichikishima Hime no Mikoto. Through frequent renovations, the vermilion-colored shrine from the Genroku era has been faithfully reproduced. One of the highlights is the haiden, which is adorned with 154 flower and bird paintings and sculptures on the grid-patterned ceiling. On both sides of the approach to Nakatsu Shrine, there are a pair of stone lanterns dedicated by the Ichimura-za and Nakamura-za theaters of Edo Kabuki, and the handprints of Kabuki actors are also preserved.

About a 10-minute walk from Nakatsu Shrine, you can see Otsu Shrine, where the highest-ranking goddess Takiri Hime is enshrined. She is said to be a peaceful goddess who protects the sea. The ceiling of the main hall is decorated with a "turtle glaring in all directions" that seems to be staring at you no matter where you stand. It has been designated as a tangible cultural property of Fujisawa City, and the actual turtle is kept in the shrine office. On the right side of the lantern facing Otsu Shrine, there is a carving of the dragon princess of Ryugu, and on the left side, there is a carving of Urashima Taro riding on a turtle, both of which are exquisitely crafted.

To visit Enoshima Shrine, you need to climb many stairs on the island, but you can also use the escalator "Esukaa" to reach the top of Enoshima. Normally, it takes about 20 minutes to climb the stone steps to the top, but using Esukaa can shorten the journey to about 4 minutes. Esukaa is divided into three sections: the first section is from the vermilion torii gate to Hetsu Shrine, the second section is from Hetsu Shrine to Nakatsu Shrine, and the third section is from Nakatsu Shrine to the top of Enoshima. You can also stop by Hetsu Shrine and Nakatsu Shrine of Enoshima Shrine while transferring escalators, but please note that Esukaa is only for going up, so you have to walk when going down.

From the entrance of Enoshima to Enoshima Shrine, a retro shopping street is lined with ryokans, restaurants, souvenir shops, and more, bustling with many tourists. In particular, there are many shops that handle fresh seafood, and delicious seafood bowls, raw whitebait, grilled fish, and more that can be eaten on the spot are popular. "Takosenbei" is also popular, attracting long lines of people waiting to purchase it. Please enjoy Enoshima sightseeing on the Benten Nakamise Street along with a visit to Enoshima Shrine.

By visiting Enoshima Shrine, you can almost circumnavigate the island, and after about a 10-minute walk from Okutsu Shrine, you'll arrive at the mystical "Enoshima Iwaya" cave. The "Iwaya" cave is located at the farthest point of Enoshima Island, but if you take a sightseeing boat called "Bentenmaru" from nearby Chigogafuchi, you can enjoy the scenery while returning to the entrance of Enoshima, Benten Bridge. In addition, at the top of Enoshima, you can enjoy the view of the sea, Mt. Fuji, and the sunset from the approximately 60-meter-high lighthouse "Enoshima Sea Candle," and at the "Enoshima Samuel Cocking Garden," you can enjoy various plants throughout the four seasons. Please enjoy the Enoshima sightseeing, which has plenty of other sights to see besides the shrine.