4668 Kuwanouchi, Gokase, Nishi-Usuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture
Rating
Cost per person
Free
Kotorono Shrine, formerly known as Kumano Sanja Gongen, is located in Gokase, near the Gokase Winery. It was renamed in 1871. According to shrine tradition, it was initially established when a loyal retainer of the Yoshino Court, Shibahara Matazaburo Nyudo Seiko, moved from Shibahara in Oshikata Village to Kuwanouchi Yokoto and enshrined the Kumano Sanja Gongen that had been venerated in Shibahara. The shrine's main deities are Izanagi-no-Mikoto, Izanami-no-Mikoto, Kagutsuchi-no-Mikoto, and Sugawara no Michizane. Visit during the spring or autumn festivals to witness traditional performances like bojutsu and kendo matches. The shrine also hosts a night kagura performance in January.