Kitsumoto Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located in Kainan City, Wakayama Prefecture. The shrine is dedicated to Tajimamori, a legendary figure said to have brought tachibana, an ancient Japanese citrus fruit, to Japan. Because of this tradition, he has long been revered as the “deity of mikan” and the “deity of sweets.”
The shrine is also closely connected with the Kumano Kodo, the historic pilgrimage network leading to the sacred Kumano region. It is believed to stand on the former site of Tokosaka-oji, one of the Kumano Kuju-ku Oji, a series of sacred sites associated with the Kumano pilgrimage. The former site of Tokosaka-oji was designated a Wakayama Prefectural Historic Site in 1974.
Visitors can discover the legend of tachibana and learn about the history of the Kumano pilgrimage that flourished in this region. The shrine is also the setting for two distinctive annual festivals: the Kashi Festival in April, when famous sweets from throughout Japan are offered to the deity, and the Mikan Festival in October, which attracts people involved in the citrus industry from across the country.
The story of Tajimamori is central to the history and spiritual identity of Kitsumoto Shrine. According to ancient Japanese chronicles such as the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, Emperor Suinin, traditionally regarded as Japan’s 11th emperor, ordered Tajimamori to search for a sacred fruit believed to bring eternal youth and longevity.
Tajimamori is said to have traveled to Tokonoyo-no-kuni, a legendary land beyond the ordinary human world, in search of a fruit known as Tokijiku-no-kagu-no-konomi, meaning a fragrant fruit that does not wither with the passing of time.
After more than a decade of hardship, Tajimamori finally found the mysterious fruit and brought it back to Japan. The fruit is traditionally identified with tachibana, an ancient citrus species regarded as one of the ancestors of today’s Japanese citrus fruits.
However, by the time Tajimamori returned, Emperor Suinin had already died. Deeply saddened by the news, Tajimamori is said to have offered the precious tachibana fruit at the emperor’s tomb before dying himself.
This poignant legend established Tajimamori as the figure who brought tachibana to Japan, and his story has continued to be passed down through generations.
The tachibana brought back by Tajimamori is traditionally said to have been planted for the first time in Japan at Ropponju-no-oka, or “Hill of Six Trees,” which is regarded as the former site of Kitsumoto Shrine.
Tachibana is considered an ancient citrus species related to the development of modern Japanese mikan. Because of this tradition, the area around Kitsumoto Shrine has become known as a “birthplace of mikan”.
Today, Wakayama Prefecture is one of Japan’s leading citrus-growing regions. Tajimamori, who is associated with the origins of citrus cultivation in Japan, is therefore revered not only by local residents but also by people involved in the citrus industry throughout the country.
Tachibana has also been familiar to Japanese people since ancient times. It appears in the Man’yoshu, Japan’s oldest major anthology of poetry. Because tachibana remains green throughout the year, its evergreen leaves have traditionally been associated with vitality, prosperity, and enduring life.
The sacred fruit known as Tokijiku-no-kagu-no-konomi is also closely associated with the origins of the Japanese concept of “kashi,” or sweets. In ancient Japan, the word kashi could refer to fruits as well as foods that would later be regarded as confectionery.
For this reason, Tajimamori came to be revered as the ancestral deity of Japan’s confectionery industry. Kitsumoto Shrine is now widely known as a shrine dedicated to the “deity of sweets,” attracting confectioners and people involved in the Japanese sweets industry from throughout the country.
Every April, the shrine holds the National Famous Sweets Offering Festival, commonly known as the Kashi Festival. The ceremony honors Tajimamori while praying for the continued development and prosperity of Japan’s confectionery industry.
During the festival, confectionery makers from different parts of Japan present their specialty sweets as offerings to the deity. Traditional Japanese wagashi and Western-style confectionery are displayed before the shrine, creating a colorful and distinctive scene.
The festival is now an important annual gathering for confectioners from across Japan. It provides a fascinating connection between an ancient legend and the country’s modern food culture.
For visitors from overseas, the Kashi Festival offers a unique opportunity to see how mythology, religion, and Japanese culinary traditions continue to influence one another.
Kitsumoto Shrine also has an important connection with the Kumano Kodo, one of Japan’s most famous pilgrimage routes and a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape.
The present shrine is believed to stand on the former site of Tokosaka-oji, one of the Kumano Kuju-ku Oji. The Oji were sacred shrines and worship sites established along the routes leading from Kyoto toward the Kumano Sanzan, the three major sacred shrines of the Kumano region.
From the Heian period through the Kamakura period, the Kumano pilgrimage attracted emperors, aristocrats, warriors, and ordinary people. Pilgrims traveled long distances on foot, stopping at sacred sites along the way to pray and perform rituals.
Kitsumoto Shrine preserves an important part of this pilgrimage history. Although the exact date of its original foundation is unknown, the site has long been regarded as a place of religious importance.
According to local tradition, in 1158, an imperial retired emperor traveling on a pilgrimage to Kumano stayed overnight at this location. A wooden dedicatory plaque, or munafuda, believed to date from the 15th century, has also survived at the shrine, offering further evidence of its long religious history.
During the Edo period, records indicate that the shrine buildings were repaired under the patronage of the lords of the Kishu domain. In later years, however, the shrine gradually declined.
At one point, it is said that little remained except an old tachibana tree and a small shrine. Through the efforts of local residents, however, the site was gradually restored.
At the beginning of the 20th century, shrine buildings were constructed at the present site of the former Tokosaka-oji. At that time, not only Tokosaka-oji but also the nearby Togeshita-oji and Tachibana-oji were enshrined together.
As a result, Kitsumoto Shrine came to preserve two important aspects of regional heritage: the legendary story of Tajimamori and the religious history of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage.
Every October, Kitsumoto Shrine holds its annual Mikan Festival. The festival is based on the tradition that Tajimamori brought tachibana to Japan and is particularly meaningful in Wakayama, one of the country’s major citrus-producing regions.
Citrus growers, fruit-related businesses, and people involved in the mikan industry from Wakayama and other parts of Japan visit the shrine during the festival. Traditional ceremonies and processions are held, while mikoshi portable shrines, lion dances, and mochi throwing add excitement to the celebrations.
The Mikan Festival is more than a traditional religious event. It represents the close relationship between local industry, agriculture, food culture, and faith. The celebrations express gratitude for abundant harvests while praying for the continued prosperity of the citrus industry.
Kitsumoto Shrine is a unique destination where three distinctive aspects of Wakayama’s heritage come together: the legend of the birthplace of mikan, the worship of the deity of sweets, and the history of the Kumano Kodo.
The story of Tajimamori’s journey in search of the sacred fruit of eternal youth provides a fascinating glimpse into the mythology of ancient Japan. His return with tachibana is also connected with the long history of Japanese fruit and confectionery culture.
The tradition that tachibana was first planted at Ropponju-no-oka has particular significance today, when Wakayama is famous throughout Japan for its high-quality mikan. The connection between an ancient legend and a thriving modern agricultural industry makes this shrine especially interesting for travelers who want to discover the cultural roots behind local food.
The Kashi Festival, with its offerings of famous sweets from around Japan, and the Mikan Festival, which attracts people from the citrus industry, demonstrate how the story of Tajimamori continues to live on in contemporary Japanese society.
As the former site of Tokosaka-oji, Kitsumoto Shrine is also a rewarding place to visit while exploring the history of the Kumano Kodo. Here, visitors can imagine the countless pilgrims who once traveled through the region on their way to the sacred Kumano mountains.
From ancient mythology and citrus cultivation to Japanese sweets and pilgrimage traditions, Kitsumoto Shrine brings together many layers of Wakayama’s history and culture.
When visiting Kainan City, take time to pray at this distinctive shrine, learn about the legendary Tajimamori, and discover the traditions behind Wakayama’s famous citrus culture. It is a peaceful and fascinating destination for travelers interested in the connections between Japanese mythology, food, agriculture, religion, and history.