If you take the Ikumi Line/伊久身線 in Shimada City you will notice a torii gate at the foot of a long stone stairway next to Mukaiaisuimon/向合水門 bus stop.

At first I had surmised it was the location of a single shrine called Sonsha Ooi Shrine (村社大井神社) which can be translated to “Village Shrine under the jurisdiction of Ooi Shrine”

The first torii gate at the foot of the flight of stairs!

Actually there was a monument standing beside he same stairs!

Probably marking the site of the original shrine!

The stairs leading to the main shrine!

Almost there!

The main shrine!

A real stone hand washing basin under its own roof!

A very old wood money offerings box!

The roof seemed in good enough repair!

Walking around the main shrine I noticed something else behind.
Nothing surprising as very often bigger buildings are built in front of the original shrine to restrict the access!

Can you see it?

Access completely blocked from there!

Try as I may I wouldn’t reach it that way!

Neither from the left hand side!

That is when I found a path leading up on the left!

Trekking around it!

The roof of the original shrine behind the main building!

From a precarious height I could somehow see the largest part of it!

I even managed to get down around it only to be blocked by a surrounding wall!

I could also get an aerial view of the roof of the main building!

A typical moon and sun stone lantern!

Old wood!

I’m afraid that is how far one can go barring a housebreak!

I decided to walk back and down around it!

A last glance!

I had to tread carefully!

Instead of cutting back along my steps I decided to walk more to the right along another narrow path. That is when I discovered the second shrine!

Usual rice straw garland but unusual metal money offerings box!

A different style of stone lantern!

Another smaller and older shrine!

Down a modern flight of stairs!

What do we have here?

The name of the shrine by the stone hand washing basin under a roof!
Sui Shrine (水神社)!

It does not look as as impressive as the shrine it is supposed to look after!

Same stone lantern as above!

Its torii gate!

The bridge leading to it!

A quaint shrine!

Good-bye, sui Shrine!

Walking around back to the original entrance!

How long has that tree been there?

Good-bye Sonsha Ooi Shrine!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

If you ride along the Ikumi Line/伊久身線 in Shimada City you will discover a small new shnto shrine near the Dai Ichi Shogakou/第一小学校 bus stop!

You can’t miss it as it is located near a cemetery amenities shop!

It might be small but the bright white and red colors peek through the trees!

You will see it across the street!

This is the Shinto Shrine with its torii gate in front!

But the building beside it is a Buddhist Temple!
It is not rare in Japan to find the two faiths cohabiting peacefully!

The Temple is not that big but it is old although someone lives inside!

Many temples and shrines share the same architectural characteristics!

Interestingly enough the shrine, although it bears no visible name, has two different torii ates!

A typical shrine color in Japan although it might vary between light orange and red purpleRE!

But this one is very new!

You are easily excused if you think at first this all the same religious site!

The small temple is really old but its roofing is in good repair!

But the rest of it might need some work!

The walls areas simple as they can be!

But I wouldn’t change the pinions!

Taking a last peek around the building!

Good-bye, “floating shrine”!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

I was walking down along the Ikumi River in the north east of Shimada City when I found this small shrine just beside Uami bus stop.
I couldn’t find its name mentioned until I met a grand lady almost as advanced in years as the strange alien man who spoke to her in Japanese. It must have been quite an event for her and she kindly, giggling all he time, explained that this particular shrine was under the jurisdiction of the very big Ooi Shrine in the center of Shimada City.
Although the Ikumi River is only a branch river of the Ooi River it benefits from the aura of its bigger elder.

As demonstrated by the somewhat drab rice straw garland there are many people able to look after it these days….

In its heydays worshipers must have felt solemn walking u the stairs between venerable cedar trees!

It was a blazing hot day and even the stairs were welcome in the cool shade!

A somewhat lonely hand washing stone basin!

Almost there!

The great thing about these shrines lost in the country is that they also include smaller and far older, and arguably more authentic shrines that were truly erected by locals!

Who built this ages ago?

Did descendants built this fairly new one!

Now this minuscule stone shrine was erected before our era!

The main shrine!

An ancient money offerings wooden box!

Meager rice straw garland!

But a peek inside proved it is still actively worshiped!

it is actually in good repair!

But I feel more attracted to the smaller ones!

The most venerated cedar tree of the site!

Slowly walking back downstairs but trying to keep in the shade as long as possible!

A rice straw garland lining two trees is quite unusual!

Very old stairs indeed!

Blazing summer afternoon!

Good-bye, Ooi Shrine in Uami!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

If you board a bus on the Ikumi Line/伊久身線 in Shimada City and go down at a bus stop called Yama Ie/山家, walk across the bridge and you will find this shrine on your right at the next crossroads!

Although the name ”八幡” is usually pronounced “Hyahatta”, the locals call the shrine “Hachiman”!

An old and a bit lonely stone hand washing basin!

The main shrine!

Big and fairly new stone lantern!

Venerable cedar tree!

Walking nearer…

The left lion guard!

Not really smiling…

With a paw resting on the back of a small lion!

The roaring lion guard on the right!

With its paw resting atop a globe!

No money offerings box?

I discovered a smaller shrine on the left!

It has a small wooden money offerings box!

Actually the real shrine like in many other places is behind the main building!

Sometimes I wonder why they are not readily accessible!

Doors secured with an old-fashioned lock!

The roofing is in good repair!

Seen through the main building sliding doors (locked!)!

There was another small ancient shrine to be found on the right!

With its own money offerings box!

A better view from that angle actually!

It was a blazing hot day!

A last look at the main building!

Good-bye, Hachiman!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Finding a shrine can be sometimes confusing for a new visitor to Japan!

The other day I took the bus of the Ikumi Line/Ikumisen/伊久身線 from Shimada Station North exit bus stop.
I got down at a stop called Kanza Miya Iriguchi/神座宮入口, meaning “Entry/Entrance/Iriguchi” to Kanza Shrine/Kanza Miya”.
The problem is that Jinjya/神社 and Miya/宮 (can also be pronounced “Gu”!) both mean “shrine”!
Incidentally as the line is heavily subsidized by the City it is very cheap, but there is only one bus every hour!

To make matters a bit more complicated the whole shrine is dedicated to the River Ooi, hence the inclusion of its name, whereas the main shrine inside is only called Ooi Shrine!

A very rural but solemn atmosphere in the cool tree shades by a scorching hot day!

The hand-washing stone basin under its own roof!

A very old “monument” probably predating everything around!

The main shrine!

Venerable trees all around!

The guard lion seems a bit different!

It is different indeed!

Not only the paint but the style make it unusual!

The big stone lanterns have been apparently added not so long ago!

We can’t forget the other lion guard!

An impressive roar!

The main shrine!

Lion guards on the roof of a Shinto shrine are unusual!

The money offerings wooden box!

The rice straw garland!

The old plaque clearly states “Ooi Jinja/大井神社/Ooi River shrine”!

Always look behind a shrine and you might find smaller and far older ones!

Such small shrines are very probably more authentic as they were erected by small farming communities!

In Kyoto and large cities they would have all but disappeared, thus erasing real history!

These foxes confirm this is an “inari/稲荷” shrine to help rice crops!

Walking around the other side of the main shrine!

Here is another one!

Poor little thing!

Good-bye, kanza Ooi Shrine!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents