Murou Ryuketsu Shrine

Located in Uda City, Nara Prefecture, this ancient shrine is known for enshrining Takaokami, a deity associated with water and rain. Revered as a god who governs water and rain, it is recorded that in the Heian period, imperial envoys were dispatched here to pray for rain. Said to have an even longer history than Murouji Temple, it has long held an important place as a center of dragon god worship since ancient times.

The current main sanctuary is built in the Kasuga-zukuri style and was relocated in 1671 from the Wakamiya Shrine building of Kasuga Taisha Shrine. It is designated as a cultural property of Nara Prefecture. Cedar trees spread across the grounds, and behind the shrine building is a rock cave called “Myokissho Ryuketsu.” This place, said to be inhabited by a dragon god, has been regarded as a sacred iwakura site since ancient times.

Every October, the autumn festival is held here. In this event, a sacred wand is carried from the Tenjin Shrine of Murouji Temple to the shrine, where a lion dance is dedicated. This kagura performance, in which male and female lions dance to the sound of bells, is designated as an intangible folk cultural property of the prefecture and has been passed down as a festival praying for a good harvest and good health.

Within the grounds, cultural property architecture and natural scenery revered as objects of worship coexist, allowing visitors to walk through the site while learning about its history and traditions.