Oarai Isosaki Shrine

This hilltop shrine faces out over Oarai Cape and the Pacific Ocean, revered by those seeking better health and good relationships. Legend has it the shrine was established in 856 when the deities Onamuchi no Mikoto (also known as Okuninushi no Mikoto) and Sukunahikona no Mikoto descended here.

Just a short walk from the shrine is the coast where the deities are believed to have descended, known as Kamiiso. A torii gate stands on the rocky outcrop there. Since Kamiiso is considered sacred ground, it remains a prohibited area you can see but cannot enter. If in the area visitors can pay their respects and take photos from the nearby seawall or observation platform. Sunrise, especially around the winter solstice when the sun aligns with the torii gate, is a popular time, attracting many photographers from early in the morning.

Though the shrine fell into disrepair during times of conflict, it was rebuilt during the Edo period under the patronage of Tokugawa Mitsukuni, the feudal lord of the Mito Domain. The construction was completed in 1730 (Kyoho 15). The shrine’s unique thatched-roof main hall, its worship hall with intricate openwork carvings, and its Zuishinmon gate showcase early Edo period shrine architecture. The precincts also house the Oarai Maritime Museum, which displays materials related to Oarai's fishing and marine industries.