Sumiyoshi Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine in Kasai City, Hyogo Prefecture. It is also known as Sakami Daimyojin, Sumiyoshi Sakami Shrine, and Sumiyoshi Sakami Jinja. Traditionally recognized as the third-ranked shrine of Harima Province, it has a long history of religious devotion and remains an important spiritual and cultural landmark for the local community. It was formerly classified as a prefectural shrine and is associated with the ancient shrines recorded in Japan’s historical religious registers.
The shrine is located at 1318 Hojo, Hojo-cho, Kasai City, near Sakami Temple and other local facilities. It is approximately a 15-minute walk from Hojo-machi Station on the Hojo Railway Line, making it accessible by local train.
According to tradition, the shrine’s origins date to 717, during the Yoro era. An elderly divine couple accompanied by five princes is said to have arrived at Mount Kamakura, in what is now Kawachi-cho, before traveling toward Hojo. During their journey, sacred treasures were stolen. The deity Saho is said to have taken the treasures and fled east across a river, leading to the establishment of Saho Shrine in honor of that deity.
The divine couple and the five princes eventually reached Hojo, where they asked a man named Yamasakato for lodging. He welcomed them and treated them with great hospitality. The following morning, the visitors revealed their divine nature. According to the legend, six cho of cultivated land suddenly became level ground, while seedlings transformed into enormous pine trees. In response to this miraculous event, Yamasakato built a shrine to honor the deities. This is believed to have been the beginning of the present-day Sumiyoshi Shrine, originally known as Sakami Shrine.
The shrine was originally established in Kurokoma Village and moved to its present location in 717. It is mentioned in the Sumiyoshi Taisha Jindaiki, a historical record associated with Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, in an entry dating to 731. This reference reflects the shrine’s longstanding place in the religious traditions of the region.
In its early history, it was commonly called Sakami Daimyojin or Sakami Shrine. Its name was changed to Sumiyoshi Shrine when it was elevated to prefectural shrine status during the Meiji period.
In 745, the Buddhist monk Gyoki established Sakami Temple beside the shrine as its associated Buddhist temple. The shrine buildings were repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt following warfare and fires. During the early Edo period, Ikeda Terumasa, the lord of Himeji Castle, supported their restoration. He donated 30 koku of rice annually, and the shrine’s land endowment was later increased to 60 koku under Honda, a lord of the Himeji domain.
The three main sanctuary buildings that survive today were rebuilt in 1851. The shrine was classified as a village shrine in 1874 and elevated to prefectural shrine status in 1881. In 1909, Otoshi Shrine and Hachiman Shrine were incorporated into its grounds and worship.
The shrine grounds contain several historically significant structures. Four buildings—the East Main Sanctuary, Central Main Sanctuary, West Main Sanctuary, and Worship Hall—were designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan on December 12, 2022.
The three main sanctuaries stand side by side in an east-to-west arrangement. Each features a gabled roof, now covered with copper sheets; the roofs were originally thatched with cypress bark. The buildings have a traditional timber construction whose craftsmanship reflects the skills of regional shrine carpenters. Details of the original construction and restoration work can also be traced through surviving ridgepole plaques.
Other protected structures include the offering hall, designated a tangible cultural property by Kasai City; the sacred boundary fence, designated by Hyogo Prefecture; and Shirahige Shrine and the purification pavilion, which are also prefecturally designated cultural properties.
The shrine honors Sakami-no-Kami and the four deities associated with Sumiyoshi worship: Sokotsutsuno-o-no-Mikoto, Nakatsutsuno-o-no-Mikoto, Uwatsutsuno-o-no-Mikoto, and Empress Jingu. The enshrined deities also include Otoshi-no-Kami and Hachiman-no-Kami.
These deities have been revered for centuries and remain central to the shrine’s religious traditions and annual ceremonies.
The shrine’s best-known annual event is the Hojo Setsubun Festival, held over the first Saturday and Sunday of April. This spring grand festival is counted among the three major festivals of the Banshu region and is celebrated for its combination of elegance, spectacle, and powerful ritual performances. Despite the word *Setsubun* in its name, it is a spring festival rather than the bean-throwing event held in early February at many Japanese temples and shrines.
The festival features ornate, roofed portable floats known as futon yatai, which are also called kesho yatai in the Hojo district. Carried or moved through the streets in a lively procession, these richly decorated floats are accompanied by energetic performances and ceremonial entrances into the shrine grounds.
A total of 15 floats participate in the celebrations: eight from the eastern district and seven from the western district. Participants traditionally wear dark blue or black kimono with long under-kimono garments. Some communities also adapt garments in shades of gray or brown, including clothing originally made for women. The participating groups can be distinguished by the colors of their headbands and sashes.
The eastern district’s participating communities are Honmachi, Yokoo, Higashitakamuro, Furusaka, Nishitakamuro, Minamimachi, Kurita, and Otabicho. The western district’s groups are Tani, Kotani, Kasaya, Nishi-Ueno, Ichimura, Miyamae, and Sakamoto. Each float has its own decorative identity and color, contributing to the festival’s vivid visual character.
In addition to the processions of the eastern and western mikoshi, or portable shrines, the festival includes traditional ceremonies such as the chicken-matching ritual known as tori-awase and the dynamic Ryuo-no-Mai, or Dragon King Dance. These performances are maintained by local preservation groups and reflect traditions passed down through generations.
The festival is said to carry approximately 900 years of history. Large crowds gather throughout the day to watch the ornate floats, participate in the festive atmosphere, and witness the rituals that connect the community with its cultural heritage. Free parking areas are provided for visitors, although the event can attract substantial crowds.
Four buildings were nationally designated as Important Cultural Properties on December 12, 2022:
East Main Sanctuary: Includes one ridgepole plaque.
Central Main Sanctuary: Includes one small Buddhist-style shrine cabinet.
West Main Sanctuary: Includes one ridgepole plaque.
Worship Hall: The building used for worship and ceremonies.
The prefecturally designated tangible cultural properties include Shirahige Shrine, with an associated ridgepole plaque, and the purification pavilion, which preserves two ridgepole plaques. The shrine’s traditional Dragon King Dance is also designated an intangible folk cultural property and is preserved by the Sumiyoshi Shrine Chicken-Matching and Dragon King Dance Preservation Association.
Kasai City has designated the offering hall and Awashima Shrine as tangible cultural properties. The shrine’s chicken-matching ritual is also recognized as an intangible folk cultural property and is maintained by the local preservation association.
Several buildings and structures were previously registered as national registered tangible cultural properties. Their registrations were removed after they received formal cultural property designations from Hyogo Prefecture or Kasai City.
With its ancient origins, historic sanctuary buildings, and spectacular spring festival, Sumiyoshi Shrine offers visitors an opportunity to discover the religious traditions and community culture of the Harima region. The shrine can also be visited alongside nearby Sakami Temple, making the area a rewarding stop for travelers interested in Japanese shrine architecture, local history, and traditional festivals.