Enoshima Shrine

Enoshima Shrine is premier and venerable shrine on Enoshima Island known for holding events year around. Counted among Japan's three greatest Benzaiten (goddesses of wealth) shrines, it consists of three individual shrines: Hetsumiya, Nakatsumiya, and Okutsumiya. These shrines are said to bestow blessings for matchmaking, monetary fortune, and improvement in performing arts.

Constructed in the mid-Edo period, the shrine features a bronze torii gate and an ornate ryugujo (Dragon Palace)-style main gate called Zuishinmon, decorated with the painting trimmings of peonies on the walls and ceiling. The shrine complex includes Yasaka Shrine with its copper-roofed hip-and-gable architecture, and Ryugu next to Okutsumiya, offering many points of interest to explore across the island.

The shrine's annual events include the Akiba Shrine Festival and Setsubun Festival, with the Ryugu Festival held year-round. Notably, the "Hatsumireitaisai Festival" in April and the "Koshikihatsuisai Festival" in October, known as the two major festivals, have been celebrated continuously since the shrine’s founding.

During the Yasaka Shrine festival in July, events span five days, attracting crowds with various food stalls and festivities. The highlight, the "Shinko Festival," features a spectacular scene where men in traditional loincloths carry a portable shrine, chanting "Yoiyoyoiyo" as they plunge into the sea.