[Osaka] Sugawara Shrine, Sakai City

#AbsolutelyFreeTravel Sugawara Shrine, located in Sakai City, was founded in 997 and is affectionately known as Tenjin-san (Sakai Tenjin). It enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning, culture, and protection from evil. The shrine began as a wooden statue of Sugawara no Michizane himself, which washed ashore on the beach in Sakai. It is said to be one of the Seven Tenjin (heavenly deities) that Sugawara no Michizane carved himself in Dazaifu, where he was exiled, and then released into the sea. The shrine grounds include Sakai Ebisu Shrine, beloved as the most famous Ebessan shrine in southern Osaka, and Japan's oldest Yakuso Shrine, which has recently become known for its cancer prevention. The Zuishinmon Gate, said to have been built in 1677 with a donation from gunsmith Enamiya Kanzaemon, is a designated tangible cultural property of Osaka Prefecture. It is a rare example of tower gate architecture in the prefecture, making it a valuable sight. It also boasts white sandalwood and rare trees, and visitors can enjoy firefly viewing every June. During the autumn festival in September, two futon drums are carried into the shrine. Sugawara Shrine 📍Address: 2-1-38 Ebisu-no-machi Higashi, Sakai Ward, Sakai City 3-minute walk from Oshoji Station on the Hankai Electric Tramway Hankai Line #OsakaSightseeing #OsakaTrip #SakaiSightseeing