Located in Atsuta Ward in the south of Nagoya City, in a wooded precinct spanning 190,000 square meters, Atsuta Shrine is a tranquil oasis to many residents of Nagoya, and a popular spot for visitors, with around 7 million visitors each year.

The Shrine is said to have been established in 113 AD, when the legendary prince Yamato Takeru-no-Mikoto (see below) entrusted his sacred sword, Kusanagi-no-Mitsurugi, to his wife, Miyazuhime-no-Mikoto (宮簀媛命), in present-day Odaka (Midori Ward). When the prince died shortly after his departure, the sword was enshrined, later moving to Atsuta.

The Hongū (Main Shrine) enshrines Atsuta-no-Okami, the sun deity Amaterasu-Ōmikami, embodied by the sword, Kusanagi-no-Mitsurugi.

In addition to the Hongū, the precinct also contains the Betsugu (Annex) Hakkengu Shrine (established in 708 and the object of veneration by warriors including Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu), 12 auxiliary shrines and 31 subordinate shrines, a Museum, and a number of great trees, including the Ōkusu (great camphor tree, pictured right) said to have been planted by the Buddhist monk and scholar Kōbō-Daishi (Kūkai).

A photo book with English captions is available for a donation at the Juyo-Sho, near the Hongū.

Although most visitors come to pay their respects at the Hongū, when strolling around the precinct one will see locals praying at many of the lesser shrines, and maybe find yourself wondering what people are praying for. The middle-aged businessman, bowing rigidly, perhaps hoping that his business will be spared the brunt of the current economic woes; or the group of suited new recruits, hoping for guidance in navigating their new environment; or the little elderly lady, praying as she maybe does every day on her afternoon walk.

Each shrine is devoted to a different deity, and associated with different blessings, but sometimes the 'shrine' need not be a shrine at all. The Kusunomimae-sha (楠御前社, literally "shrine before the venerable camphor tree", pictured), for example, located near the South Gate, has no shrine structure, but rather a fence surrounding a camphor tree. This is because the tree itself is the object of veneration, along with the sibling deities Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto, who created the Japanese archipelago.

The tree has long been worshipped for its ability to heal, and particularly as a deity of easy childbirth, and it is said that by offering a votive tablet in the shape of a miniature torii gate, inscribed with one's oriental zodiac animal and name, one's wishes will be fulfilled.

To the right of the enclosure is a stand seemingly festooned with vibrantly colored chains of paper cranes, diligently folded by parishioners and offered as prayers for respite and recovery from illness. Many votive tablets in various shapes are also hung from the stand, inscribed with wishes from soon-to-be parents and people hoping for the recovery of unwell family members or friends. While some of the messages are personal, others are a reflection of feelings no doubt shared by many, such as one anonymous tablet reading, "May everyone be able to laugh and enjoy life, in good health!"

Where: Atsuta Shrine (熱田神宮), in Atsuta Ward (熱田区)
Access: A 3-minute walk from Jingū-mae Sta. (神宮前駅) on the Meitetsu Nagoya Line (名鉄名古屋本線); or an 8-minute walk from Atsuta Sta. (熱田駅) on the JR Tōkaidō Line (JR東海道線); or a 7-minute walk from Jingu Nishi Sta. (神宮西駅) on the Meijo Subway Line (地下鉄名城線).
Website: https://www.atsutajingu.or.jp/