Futami Okitama Jinja

History

Futami Okitama Jinja was founded to enshrine, from a respectful distance, the sacred Okitama rock that lies roughly 700 meters offshore — the dwelling place of the shrine’s principal deity, Sarutahiko Okami. According to tradition, the rock’s spiritual power first manifested during the reign of Emperor Yuryaku in the late 5th century. Later, in the Tenpyo era (729-749), the monk Gyoki is said to have built a temple nearby and enshrined Okitama-sha as its guardian shrine. Following the separation of Shinto and Buddhism in the Meiji era, Okitama-sha (enshrining Sarutahiko Okami) was merged in 1910 with Sangu Shrine, which enshrined Uka-no-Mitama-no-Okami — a deity also identified with Toyouke Okami of Ise Jingu’s Outer Shrine — and the combined shrine took its present name, Futami Okitama Jinja.

Since ancient times, the Futami coast has been known as a “purification beach,” where pilgrims bathed in seawater and cleansed body and spirit of impurity before continuing on to Ise Jingu. The saying “an Ise pilgrimage begins at Futami” reflects this custom, known as hama-sangu, which is still observed by many visitors today: purifying themselves at Futami before heading on to worship at the Grand Shrine. In that sense, Futami Okitama Jinja remains, first and foremost, the traditional gateway of purification for pilgrims to Ise.

Highlights

Rising from the sea directly in front of the shrine, the famous Meoto Iwa (“Wedded Rocks”) are said to represent the divine married couple Izanagi and Izanami, the creator deities of Japanese mythology, and draw visitors praying for marital harmony and good relationships. The larger “husband” rock (about 9 meters tall) and smaller “wife” rock (about 4 meters) are joined by a shimenawa sacred rope roughly 35 meters long, which itself functions as a torii gate through which worshippers pay reverence to the submerged Okitama rock beyond, and further still to the sun goddess. The rope is replaced three times a year (May 5, September 5, and mid-December) in the Oshimenawa-bari ritual, accompanied by traditional work songs and taiko drumming.

From around May through July, the sun rises directly between the two rocks, and on a clear morning near the summer solstice (mid-to-late June) it is sometimes possible to see “Diamond Fuji” — Mount Fuji and the rising sun aligning together between the rocks — one of Japan’s most sought-after seasonal photography spots.

Another distinctive feature of the shrine grounds is the large number of frog statues placed throughout. Frogs are considered messengers of Sarutahiko Okami, and the Japanese word for frog, kaeru, is a pun on words meaning “to return safely,” “to get something lent back,” and “to be rejuvenated” — worshippers whose prayers were answered often donate a frog figurine in thanks, and dozens now line the purification font and shrine grounds.

Visiting Tips

As the old saying “an Ise pilgrimage begins at Futami” suggests, tradition holds that visitors should stop here to purify themselves before continuing on to Ise Jingu’s Outer and Inner Shrines. If your schedule allows, visiting here first is the traditional order of pilgrimage.

The grounds themselves are open around the clock, but amulets and goshuin are only available roughly 7:00-16:45 (7:00-16:15 November to February), so plan a daytime visit if you want those. The Meoto Iwa rocks can be admired at any hour, but if you’re hoping to catch the sunrise between them, check the local sunrise time in advance and allow plenty of time to reach the Hinode Bridge area along the approach.

Annual Festivals

• Oshimenawa-bari Shinji (Shimenawa Rope-Changing Ritual) (May 5, September 5, mid-December): The sacred rope joining Meoto Iwa is replaced in a ceremony accompanied by traditional work songs and taiko drumming, with local parishioners and ama divers taking part.
• Summer Solstice Festival (mid-to-late June, around the solstice): A purification ceremony held to greet the solstice sunrise, drawing visitors from across Japan.
• Futami Day Limited Goshuin (23rd of every month): A wordplay on “fu-mi” (2-3) marks this day, when a limited-edition goshuin reproducing an early-Showa-era design is issued.

Nearby Food & Sightseeing

Restaurants along the Meoto Iwa approach serve Ise udon and other local specialties, and the area right by the shrine also has an aquarium and a shopping-and-dining complex, making it easy to combine worship with sightseeing.

• Taichiya: A restaurant founded in 1877, midway along the Meoto Iwa approach, known for its popular ¥1,000 set of Ise udon noodles, abalone rice, and aosa-seaweed miso soup.
• Ise Sea Paradise: A “zero-distance” aquarium right next to the shrine, offering close encounters with walruses and seals — a favorite with families.
• Ise Meotoiwa Meoto Yokocho: An indoor shopping and dining complex right beside Meoto Iwa, offering Ise-Shima specialties, food stalls, and hands-on experiences.