Tatsuta Taisha (1/2)

Tatsuta Taisha(pron:tah-tsou-tah tye-shah) shrine had been one of National Shrines designated by Japanese Government of Shintoism era until the world war II. Originally, approximately 2,100 years ago, people in this area worshipped and enshrined, as a god, Wind or someone who was able to control wind. Since then, religious believers of the Wind God increased to other areas.
There is a pair of lanterns of stone at the entrance gate. According to letters engraved on the stone, they were donated in 1832 by union of ship owners of Nishinomiya, a city between Osaka and Kobe, where there are many breweries of Sake(rice wine). The union used to transport the products of Sake to the largest market: Edo (former Tokyo). They might have prayed here the Wind to be calm and for safety navigation on the sea over 600km.
Today, it is only 1 to 2 hours for travelling from Nishinomiya to this shrine by train or automobile. But, at that time, of course, there was no train or no automobile and they must have travelled on foot at least 2 days. It is easy for us to imagine how their religious believing was very firm and strong.

Entrance gate at autumn festival	Main Hall