There is a pair of stones symbolizing fertility at the entrance of the cave behind the temple. Locally called Futenma Gongen, this shrine is located in the central part of Futenma, Ginowan City. It is one of eight shrines built about five centuries ago by order of King Sho Kinpuku. Every year countless people pay visits to the shrine to pray for a variety of reasons. They may pray for the safety of family members or relatives who are soon to embark on long journeys.
People also come to pray for the safe and easy deliveries of soon to be born babies.
For those special ceremonies, the Futenma Shrine is a famous place to hold traditional weddings, and during the New Year season it is crowded with people from all over the central region of Okinawa. Behind the shrine itself is a large cave that is filled with calcium carbonate deposits formed over the centuries. Their eerie shapes add a primal element to the atmosphere of the subterranean worship chamber. At the cave entrance sits a pair of stones symbolizing fertility, which is another reason people visit the shrine. Some believe that frequent visits to the shrine are marvelously efficacious for those couples who want but have not been able to have children.