Kotohira Shrine

  • Other Names: 金比羅山 (konpira-san)
  • Japanese: 金刀比羅宮 (kotohira guu)

Kotohira Shrine, also known as Konpira-san, is a Shinto shrine in Kagawa prefecture, likely the most famous on the entire island of Shikoku.

The shrine was originally dedicated to Konpira Daigongen, a Japanized version of the Hindu crocodile deity Kumbhira. The shrine is today dedicated to the deity Ômononushi no mikoto, and to the spirit of Emperor Sutoku.

Particularly associated with fishermen and sailors, Konpira-san has long been an extremely popular pilgrimage destination.

References

  • Craig, Teruko (trans.). Musui's Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai. University of Arizona Press (1988), 162.