Kamado Shrine is a place with over 1,350 years of history. The shrine has two main functions. For one, it acts as a protector against demons, similar to the role of the gargoyles on top of the Government Office. The deity enshrined here is Tamayori-hime. It‘s also said to be the home to various Shinto gods.
Let me ask you-- how’s the weather today? Is the mist and fog shrouding the mountain? It’s said that the original god to reside in Kamado Shrine was Mikumari, the god of water, who would provide water to Japanese crops. Mikumari turned into Mikomori when she started to protect and nurture children as well as plants. People back then felt a strong connection to nature, most likely because they shared the protection of the god Mikomori. That same sense of importance of nature can be found in the collection of Japanese waka “Man'yōshū.”
Kamado Shrine served an important role for the envoys who would gather at Dazaifu before venturing off to China. Without exception, voyagers would visit this shrine before departure to pray for safety.
The Buddhist monk, Saichō, was one such example who credits his safe journey to China and back to the gods of Kamado Shrine. He visited the shrine before departing, offering four Buddha statues (one for each boat in his envoy), and made sure to express his gratitude for a safe return by visiting the shrine once more.
※The mountain now called “Mount Homan” was originally called “Mount Kamado.”
Mount Kamado has long been the subject of love poems.
“Hearth mountain, aflame in spring, scorched in autumn, we see both mist and fog as smoke.”
The poem sounds like it's talking about nature, but it's really talking about the different forms of love.
There was a time when Mount Kamado was called “Jūroku Mairi”, meaning “temple visits at 16.” Sixteen year old boys and girls would visit the mountain and express their gratitude to the gods for nurturing and protecting them as children. After paying their respects, it’s said that girls would then wish to find a husband, and boys would wish for financial success.
Nowadays, Kamado Shrine is visited by all kinds of people looking for different kinds of successful relationships, from family, to friends, to business. After paying homage to the shrine, you will undoubtedly notice the light pink wall behind the amulet counter selling omamori (amulets), and omikuji (paper fortunes).
This wall, fused with traditional techniques and modern design, was designed by the world-renowned interior designer of Wonderwall, Masamichi Katayama. With its concept of “setting the standard of 100 years from now,” the pink-hue marble cladding of the wall represents the faith of each visitor to the shrine, while the cherry blossom motifs, which are the shrine’s crest, are used on the ceiling and walls.
From the observation deck at the back, you can overlook the cityscape of Dazaifu the same way the envoys used to when they visited Kamado Shrine before their voyages.
