Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Osaka

Sumiyoshi Taisha, one of Japan's oldest shrines and the head of all Sumiyoshi shrines, will leave you spellbound by its picturesque gardens and tranquil ambience.

About Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine

This is one of Japan's oldest shrines, dating back to the 3rd century, before the advent of Buddhism.

There are over 2000 Sumiyoshi shrines across Japan, and they worship Kami, the gods who protect fishermen and sailors. Sumiyoshi Taisha is considered to be the protective shrine of the Port of Osaka.

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This is the shrine of celebration for the people of Osaka...around 2 million people come to visit the shrine each year in January, a ritual called Hatsumode, meaning the traditional first shrine visit of the year! This is the time when tens of thousands of people throng this shrine to pray for good luck and draw their paper fortunes, called Omikuji, a practice that is prevalent throughout Japan across all shrines.

Sumiyoshi Taisha is a Shinto shrine. Shinto religion embodies a belief in the Animistic religion that is centred on the worship of Kami, the supernatural entities or gods, believed to inhabit all animate and inanimate objects. These supernatural entities inhabit all living and non-living objects, including trees, rocks, sacred animal messengers, and landscapes. We were drawn to this shrine owing to the amazing similarity it shares with Hinduism in its belief in Kami.

Interestingly, you will see many colourful statues of rabbits and cats, believed to be divine messengers. Cats are believed to bring good fortune.

Visiting Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Osaka

Sumiyoshi Taisha is very easily accessible by local trains. You can take the Nankai Line from Namba Station. The shrine is located very close to the Sumiyoshi Taisha Station; from there, it's barely a 5-minute walk to the shrine.

The shrine is open from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. Entry is free.

As you enter the shrine, you will be greeted by the beautiful vermillion-coloured bridge, the Sorihashi Bridge. From there, you can walk into the main pavilion of the shrine.

Plan to spend about an hour at the shrine and soak in its calm vibrance. The shrine is very close to Tempozan, the giant Ferris wheel and the Osaka Aquarium.

This was a bright, sunny day and we had plans to visit the Osaka Castle after this. Coming up next...