Sakakiyama Shrine

This is an old shrine that is said to have been enshrined in 933 from Usa Hachiman Shrine in Kyushu. In 1715, a fire destroyed the shrine's treasures and ancient documents, so the exact origins of the shrine are unknown, but the current shrine was rebuilt in 1724 over a period of three years with the permission of the fifth feudal lord, Yoshinaga. The main hall is designated an important cultural property of the town and is a valuable building as an early example of early modern temple and shrine architecture. Torii Jinbei, a carpenter, was also involved in the construction of this shrine, and its appearance is smart, in the Nagare-zukuri style typical of Shimogamo Shrine, and also retains traces of the gorgeous decorations of Momoyama culture. In terms of size, it is 2.6 times the volume of a normal shrine building, making it a rare shrine that is one of the largest in Japan. Considering that the huge costs of constructing a structure of this scale were borne by the farmers of the time, this is a good study material for gauging the financial wealth of Kumano. The tamagaki fence within the temple grounds was built in 1859, a time when Kumano was home to many wealthy merchants in the brush business. These wealthy merchants made large donations and contributions whenever shrines were rebuilt or temples were repaired in the village. The construction date of this tamagaki is clear, and it is valuable as a cultural asset, having been designated as one of the town's Important Cultural Properties.