🗺️ Tado Taisha多度大社

Since ancient times, the Tado Shrine has been revered at the foot of Mount Tado, where the sacred body of the mountain is located. In the latter half of the 5th century, during the reign of Emperor Yōryaku, the shrine hall was established. The main shrine enshrines the third son of the deity Amaterasu Ōmikami, the principal deity of Ise Jingu, known as Tenson Hikonemiko. The auxiliary shrine enshrines the deity of the grandson, Tenmoku Ikka no Mikoto. Therefore, the relationship between Tado Shrine and Ise Jingu is profound, leading to the saying, "To worship at Ise Jingu, one must also visit Tado Shrine; without visiting Tado, the worship is only half complete." This has resulted in the custom of visiting Tado Shrine when going to Ise Jingu. The two large pillars of the main and auxiliary shrines are regarded as the gods who govern the weather, and rituals for rain and clear skies have been conducted since ancient times. The beautiful shrine of the Shinto shrine, called Mi-gozen-sha, is painted in bright vermilion. It blesses the healing of diseases unique to women and ailments related to the ears, nose, and mouth, and many people make wishes by offering stones found in the shrine. In addition to the main and auxiliary shrines, there are 12 other such sub-shrines and末社 (matsuri-sha). Within the shrine, there is a sacred horse known as "Nishiyama-go," which is considered a divine messenger and welcomes visitors. The presence of a living sacred horse in the shrine is quite rare across the country. The "Kamima Shinjitsu," where horse and rider charge up steep cliffs, and the "Yabusame Shinjitsu," where archers shoot arrows while riding galloping horses, are also famous events associated with the shrine.

It has a deep relationship with Ise Jingu and is the main deity of the northern Ise region. It houses 12 shrines, including the beautiful Mi-gozen deity. The Tado Festival, featuring horse rituals and yabusame (mounted archery), is widely renowned. Inside the shrine, there are living sacred horses, which are quite rare in Japan.