Shinto shrine
Niukawakami Jinja
丹生川上神社（にうかわかみじんじゃ）
Higashiyoshino, Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture
A shrine in Higashiyoshino Village whose principal kami is Mizuhanome no Kami, who governs water. It has long been worshipped as a kami of prayers for rain and for stopping rain, and it is commonly called the "Chūsha" (Middle Shrine).
English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む
Prayers associated with this place
Enshrined kami: Mizuhanome no Kami (enshrined together in the same hall: Izanami no Mikoto, Izanagi no Mikoto)
History and things to know
According to the official guide, it was founded following an oracle in Hakuhō 4 (675) under Emperor Tenmu, and it appears in history in an entry in the Shoku Nihongi for Tenpyō Hōji 7 (763) recording the offering of a black horse. From the medieval period onward its location became unknown and it was called Aridōshi Jinja, but in Taishō 11 (1922) this shrine was recognized as Niukawakami Jinja and ranked as a Kanpei Taisha.
Introduced by this site, based on materials from the shrine or temple and public bodies.
Related kami and buddhas
Before you visit
Niukawakami Jinja consists of three separate shrines: the Chūsha (Higashiyoshino Village), the Kamisha (Kawakami Village) and the Shimosha (Shimoichi Town). This is the Chūsha in Higashiyoshino Village.
Official website of the shrine or temple (may be in Japanese)
Sources (in Japanese)
- 丹生川上神社「御祭神・御本尊・由緒の公式案内」（2026-10-21 確認）
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