Atsuta Grand Shrine

Atsuta Grand Shrine stands in the Atsuta district of Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. It is an ancient shrine that enshrines Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, the sacred sword and one of the Three Imperial Regalia, as its object of veneration. The principal enshrined kami is Atsuta-no-Okami, understood as the spirit of the sword itself. Second in prestige only to Ise Grand Shrine, it has received sustained veneration throughout Japanese history.

The shrine grounds occupy approximately 190,000 square metres on a plateau near Ise Bay in southern Nagoya. Ancient camphor trees over a thousand years old stand within the sacred grove. In antiquity, the site occupied a strategic position on high ground close to the coastline.

According to shrine tradition, the enshrined kami include Amaterasu-no-Omikami, Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Yamato-takeru-no-Mikoto, Miyasuhime-no-Mikoto, and Takeninane-no-Mikoto. Tradition holds that Yamato-takeru-no-Mikoto left the Kusanagi sword in the care of Miyasuhime-no-Mikoto during his eastern campaign, and she enshrined it at this location.

According to shrine records, the enshrinement began in the 43rd year of Emperor Keiko's reign. The *Engishiki* (Procedures of the Engi Era, 927 CE) lists it in the *Jinmyocho* (Register of Shrines) as "Atsuta Shrine, ranked among the Great Named Shrines" of Owari Province. From the medieval period onward, it was revered by both the warrior class and commoners as a major shrine on the Tōkaidō route. Oda Nobunaga is recorded to have offered prayers for victory before the Battle of Okehazama in 1560. The shrine received the title of Grand Shrine (*Jingu*) during the Meiji period.

The annual festival on 6 June, known as the Atsuta Matsuri or Festival of Martial Virtue, is one of Nagoya's most prominent celebrations, featuring dedicated lantern-lighting rites and fireworks. Over 70 annual rites are maintained, including the Eyōdoshi ritual on 5 May, the Rice-Planting Festival on 21 June, and the Masumi Festival in October.