Atsuta Jingu

According to the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, the storm god Susanoo drew the sword Kusanagi from the tail of an eight-headed serpent; it later passed to the legendary hero Yamato Takeru, who left it with his wife Miyasu-hime in Owari before his death. She enshrined the sword at Atsuta, and the shrine traditionally traces its origin to this act. The sword itself, one of the Three Sacred Treasures of the imperial throne, is kept in the inner sanctuary and has never been shown.

The shrine's principal deity, Atsuta-no-Ōkami, is identified with the sun goddess Amaterasu as embodied in the sword; Susanoo, Yamato Takeru, Miyasu-hime and her brother are also enshrined. The precinct lies in a forest of old camphor and other broadleaf trees, often called Atsuta no mori, an island of green in the middle of the city.

Until 1893 the main sanctuary was built in the local Owari style; it was then rebuilt in the shinmei-zukuri style of Ise, reflecting the shrine's status. That sanctuary was destroyed in the air raids of 1945 and was rebuilt in 1955 using timber from the periodic rebuilding of the Ise shrines. The treasure hall holds thousands of objects donated over the centuries by the imperial family, shoguns and warriors, including many swords.

Atsuta was one of the great shrines of ancient Japan, listed among the most important shrines in the tenth-century Engi-shiki, and it enjoyed the devotion of emperors and warriors alike. In 1560 Oda Nobunaga prayed here on his way to the Battle of Okehazama, and after his victory he donated a roofed earthen wall, which still stands.

In the Meiji era the government recognised the shrine's special status, and the main sanctuary was rebuilt in the Ise style in 1893. Air raids in 1945 destroyed the buildings, including gates that had been designated National Treasures. After the war the shrine was rebuilt with donations from across the country.

Because of the sacred sword, Atsuta Jingu has a close connection to the imperial house, and imperial envoys attend its major festival. The annual Atsuta Matsuri on 5 June is the largest event, with rituals by day and hundreds of lanterns, fireworks and decorated towers in the evening. Other rites include the Eyōdo Shinji on 4 May, a secret night ritual in which priests laugh aloud in the dark.

For the people of Nagoya, Atsuta is the place for hatsumōde, shrine visits for children and prayers for safe childbirth and success. The area around the shrine is also known for hitsumabushi, Nagoya's style of grilled eel over rice, served by long-established restaurants near the shrine gates.