Kagami Shrine

Overview

Kagami Shrine is a Shinto shrine located at the base of Mount Kagami in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture. It was long venerated as the sōsha, or general shrine, of Matsura Province and was ranked first among the Three Shrines of Matsura.

Highlights

• ●Situated at the base of Mount Kagami (280 meters) within Genkai Quasi-National Park
• ●Historically known by several former names, including Kagami no mikoto Byōgū, Kagami-gū, Matsuura-gū, Itabitsu-sha, and Kuri Daimyōjin
• ●Ranked first among the Three Shrines of Matsura as the head shrine of the former Matsura Province
• ●Preserves a small museum holding an image of Yōryū Kannon from Korea's Goryeo Dynasty, dated 1310 and now designated a Cultural Property of Japan

History

Kagami Shrine served historically as the head shrine, or sōsha, of Matsura Province in the former Hizen Province and was classified among the Three Shrines of Matsura, ranked first. The shrine has continued to be revered as the guardian deity of the Matsura region across the centuries, and it retains traces of the historical fusion of Shinto and Buddhist worship, including veneration of a Yōryū Kannon image within its Shinto rites.

Map

33.4322, 130.0086 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Approach the shrine grounds at the base of Mount Kagami
2. 2Pay respects at the main hall, long revered as the head shrine of Matsura
3. 3View the Yōryū Kannon and other images that reflect the shrine's Shinto-Buddhist heritage
4. 4Take a quiet walk through the grounds, still cherished as the guardian shrine of the Matsura region

Did you know?

💡 The shrine's small museum preserves an image of Yōryū Kannon from Korea's Goryeo Dynasty dated 1310, now kept at the Saga Prefectural Museum and designated a Cultural Property of Japan.

Nearby spots