page_title: Kashima Shrine
section_title: Introduction
hierarchical_section_title: Kashima Shrine / Introduction
caption_attribution_description: 鹿島神宮の楼門と灯籠 (Kashima shrine's Romon gate and stone lanterns)
context_page_description: Kashima Shrine is a shrine dedicated to the Shinto Kami Takemikazuchi-no-Ōkami, one of the patron deities of martial arts. Various dojo of kenjutsu and kendo sometimes display a Kakejiku hanging scroll emblazoned with Takemikazuchi-no-Ōkami. The shrine is located in Kashima, Ibaraki and is the home of Kashima Shintō-ryū. During the New Year period, from the first to the third of January, Kashima Shrine is visited by over 600,000 people from all over Japan. It is the second most visited shrine in Ibaraki prefecture for new year pilgrims.
  Tsukahara Bokuden, one of the most distinguished swordmasters in Japanese history, was a frequent visitor to the shrine and the son of one of its four retainers. The Kashima Shintō-ryū school of martial art was developed by him and is said to be derived from a combination of his own experiences as a shugyōsha during Musha shugyō and the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū. Tsukuhara learned Katori Shintō-ryū from his adopted father at Katori Shrine which has a strong connection to Kashima Shrine and dedicated to a similar patron deity.
context_section_description: Kashima Shrine is located at the top of the Kashima plateau in south-east Ibaraki Prefecture (茨城県 Ibaraki-ken), intersecting Kitaura (北浦) and Kashimanada (鹿島灘). Before the Meiji restoration, together with Ise Grand Shrine (伊勢神宮 Ise Jingū) and Katori Shrine (香取神宮 Katori Jingū), all three were given status as Jingū (神宮). A shrine of high Imperial status.
  The deities Takemikazuchi (武甕槌大神 Takemikazuchi-no-Ōkami) of Kashima Shrine and Futsunushi (経津主神 Futsunushi-no-kami) of Katori Shrine were considered great gods of the martial practices during the time of the Tenson kōrin (天孫降臨 Tenson Kōrin)  (the descent of Amaterasu's (天照) grandson Ninigi (瓊瓊杵尊 Ninigi-no-Mikoto) from the heavens).
  Due to the proximity of the Kashima and Katori Shrines to the Emishi or Ezo (蝦夷) people's territories, they became important frontline bases in the imperial court's war against the native people. This meant that both shrines saw a large flow of officials and military personnel through them. Even today on the first day of the new year emissaries and Shinto priests perform the Shihōhai (四方拝), the Imperial New Year's ceremony, as a display of respect for the services during the war.
  Both shrines have maintained a strong connection to the martial arts for many years due to their kindred deities and many dojo throughout Japan display hanging scrolls with the two gods. A large blade designated as a National Treasure of Japan known as the Futsu-no-Mitama Sword (布都御魂剣) is housed in the treasure house of Kashima Shrine. The main shrine (本殿 Honden),  prayer hall (拝殿 Haiden) and tower gate entrance (楼門 Rōmon) are also Important Cultural Property of Japan. The gate is one of the largest three shrine entrances in Japan. A deer enclosure is also located down the forest path. Both Kashima Shrine's deer and those of Nara are considered messengers of the gods and hence share a strong connection.
caption: Romon gate and stone lanterns, 2015
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