Kashima Shrine (鹿島神宮)

Beneath the main sanctuary of Kashima Shrine, a massive stone called the Kaname-ishi is driven into the earth. According to legend, this stone pins the head of a giant catfish whose thrashing causes earthquakes across Japan. The stone visible above ground is merely the tip—in 1664, the lord of Mito ordered an excavation to find the bottom. After digging ten metres without reaching its base, the workers abandoned the attempt. The stone remains embedded in the forest floor, still holding down the earthquake deity, while Kashima Shrine stands as one of Japan’s oldest military shrines and the head of over 600 Kashima shrines nationwide.

Kashima Shrine was established in 660 BCE, making it one of the oldest Shinto shrines in eastern Japan. It served as the spiritual centre for the pacification of the eastern provinces during the legendary reign of Emperor Jimmu. The shrine gained prominence as the protector shrine of the Fujiwara clan during the Nara period, and its deity was transported to Nara in 768 CE to serve as guardian of the newly built Kōfuku-ji temple. Throughout Japanese history, warriors departing for battle—from medieval samurai to soldiers in the Russo-Japanese War—visited Kashima to receive blessings for victory. The shrine’s 20-hectare forest, protected for over 1,200 years, contains some of the oldest and most sacred trees in the region.

Takemikazuchi no Mikoto is the primary deity of Kashima Shrine, revered as the god of thunder, swordsmanship, and martial arts. In the Kojiki, he descended from the heavens to pacify the land of Japan, wielding a ten-fist sword and subduing all earthly deities who resisted the imperial claim. He is credited with pinning the earthquake-causing catfish beneath the Kaname-ishi stone. Takemikazuchi is considered the founder of Japanese martial disciplines, and his spirit is invoked by practitioners of kendo, judo, and other martial arts. His messenger is the deer, and sacred deer still roam freely within the shrine precincts—the ancestors of Nara’s famous deer population, which were brought from Kashima in the eighth century.

The Kaname-ishi legend holds that a giant catfish lives beneath the Japanese archipelago, and its violent movements cause earthquakes. Takemikazuchi drove a sacred stone through the catfish’s head at Kashima, pinning it in place. A corresponding stone at Katori Shrine, 30 kilometres away, pins the tail. Together, these two stones are said to stabilize eastern Japan. The visible portion of the Kaname-ishi measures roughly one metre across, but its true depth remains unknown despite the 1664 excavation attempt. Smaller legends cluster around the shrine’s ancient forest: a spring called Mitarashi that never freezes, even in winter, is said to be where Takemikazuchi purified his sword after battle.

The current main hall (honden) was reconstructed in 1619 by the second Tokugawa shogun and displays the elegant proportions of early Edo-period shrine architecture, painted in vermilion with white plaster walls. The Rōmon gate, built in 1634, stands 13 metres tall and is designated an Important Cultural Property. The shrine forest contains Japan’s largest sacred cedar, the Sugi no Osugi, which measures nine metres in circumference and is estimated to be over 1,300 years old. A 200-metre approach lined with stone lanterns leads to the Oku-miya (rear shrine), built in 1605. The shrine’s treasure hall houses the Futsu-no-Mitama, a straight sword designated as a National Treasure, said to be the actual blade wielded by Takemikazuchi during the pacification of Japan.

• Jinkōsai (September 1) — A procession of portable shrines travels from Kashima to the nearby Ono Shrine, re-enacting the deity’s journey of pacification. Over 200 participants in ancient court dress parade through rice fields.
• Jinmu-sai (April 3) — Commemorates Emperor Jimmu’s legendary founding of Japan, with ritual archery performed by shrine priests.
• Reisai Grand Festival (September 1-2) — The shrine’s most important annual festival, featuring horseback archery (yabusame), traditional kagura dance, and offerings of the first rice harvest.
• Hatsumode (January 1-3) — Over 700,000 people visit during the New Year period to pray for success in business and martial endeavours.

Early morning in autumn, when mist rises from the forest floor and the ancient cedars emerge gradually from white vapour. The September festivals bring crowds, but the ritual archery and processions justify the density. Winter mornings after snowfall transform the shrine forest into a monochrome composition of black trunks and white ground. Avoid weekends during cherry blossom season unless you embrace chaos—the shrine’s 400 cherry trees bloom simultaneously in early April. The Kaname-ishi sits in a clearing reached by a ten-minute walk through the forest; you’ll likely have it to yourself before 9 AM.