Yasaka Shrine (Enoshima)

Tucked inside the grounds of Hetsumiya, Yasaka Shrine is a subsidiary shrine of Enoshima Shrine, dedicated to the deity Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto. The key sacred treasure here was first enshrined across the bay at Koshigoe, but after being swept away by a great wave and sinking into the sea, it was retrieved by fishermen and re-enshrined on Enoshima.

Across from the shrine sits a a ginkgo tree where two trunks join at a single root. This tree is the inspiration between the many Musubi Ema—votive plaques wishing for successful relationships— that you’ll find hung here by the many who coming looking for a little extra luck in love.

Every July, the Enoshima Tenno Festival is held, recognized as one of Kanagawa’s top 50 festivals and designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property by Fujisawa city. The festival features spirited shouts as participants hoist a portable shrine through the sea in a ritual called "Mikoshi no Kaiju Watashi," and the Enoshima Bayashi, where the island comes alive with parades of musicians playing flutes, drums, shamisen, and charumera, creating a festive mood across Enoshima.