Shiogama Shrine is one of the few shrines in Japan that has a history as long as 1200 years and is listed as an important cultural property by the government. The cherry blossom trees that dot the shrine grounds are also considered natural monuments. The shrine gods are famous for in charge of many different things like, health of infants, calm seas and fishing, and traffic accidents. Read on to find out more about Shiogama Shrine!

Stairway to luck

The stairs at Shiogama Shrine feature 202 steps. It is said that if a person walks all these steps they become quite lucky. Every year around 450,000 people come to the shrine to pay respects and pray. Or maybe just to be a bit luckier!

Asking for ANYTHING

We mean anything. Shiogama Shrine is known as a place where basically any wish can be asked for. Whether or not that actually happens, we will let you decide when you visit. However, as we said before, the types of things people pray or vary from the normal health of a newborn child to, well, anything. They even have a “good luck for anything” charm that can be purchased!

Shrine Garden

During the various seasons, the traditional garden located on the grounds of the shrine can be enjoyed. In springtime the cherry blossoms bloom a brilliant pink color, in the summer everything is green, which turns to red in the fall and finally covered in snow in winter. We recommend taking a stroll through the garden while eaten the dango made at the local dango shop!

Conclusion

Since the shrine can be reached quite easily by riding a train from Sendai city, it’s a great place to experience some tradition, charge up on your luck, and pray for the blessings from the shrine gods. Next time you come to Tohoku, make sure that you add this to your travel plan!

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WEB（Japanese only）
http://www.shiogamajinja.jp/
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