Tsubaki Grand Shrine


Tsubaki Grand Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan. Tsubaki is the principal shrine of the deity Sarutahiko-no-Ōkami and one of Japan's oldest shrines. According to the shrine's records, it was founded in the year 3 BCE. Other deities enshrined include Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto, the wife of Sarutahiko who was supposed to have performed a dance which brought Amaterasu the Sun Goddess out of hiding in a cave, and Ninigi-no-Mikoto, grandson of the Sun Goddess and the mythical first ruler of the nation.
As Sarutahiko-no-Ōkami is also revered in Aikido, Tsubaki has a martial arts hall for practice, as well as an archery range for the practitioners of kyūdō. There is also a chashitsu called Reisho-an, donated by the founder of Panasonic, Matsushita Konosuke. Behind the main shrine hall is a sacred waterfall, Kinryu Myojin no Taki, where misogi is practiced.
The shrine has been in the care of the Yamamoto family for 97 generations. The 95th generation guardian priest was Rev. Yukiteru Yamamoto, the 96th generation priest was Rev. Yukitaka Yamamoto, and the 97th generation priest is Rev. Yukiyasu Yamamoto.