Enoshima Shrine Nakatsumiya

Nakatsumiya, centrally located at Enoshima Shrine, was founded by the great monk Jikaku Daishi in 853. The shrine enshrines the deity Ichikishima-hime-no-mikoto. The current structures of the main hall, offering hall, and worship hall in the Gongen-zukuri style are reconstructions modeled after those rebuilt in 1689 by Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the fifth shogun. Visitors to the worship hall will find the ceiling adorned with 154 breathtaking panels that evoke the imagery of seasonal flora, plus bird paintings and sculptures in a true delight to the eyes.

Legend has it that the deity enshrined here is celebrated for her unparalleled beauty, attracting many ladies young and old who bring a prayer for their own beauty. The shrine is also believed to confer various other blessings to those who visit. A popular feature is the suikinkutsu, a water cave, where water fortunes emerge when paper fortunes are dipped in water, located at the rear left side of the shrine.

Across the grounds you’ll find stone lanterns donated by the joint efforts of kabuki theaters like Ichimura-za and Nakamura-za, as well as weeping cherry trees that bow and wave in invitation for a stroll.