Watatsumi Shrine (Kobe)

Watatsumi Shrine (海神社, Watatsumi Jinja) is a Shinto shrine located in Tarumi-ku, Kobe. It is said to have been founded by the legendary Empress Jingu (169–269 AD). It is one of the three major shrines of Harima Province. It has a festival on October 11.

It is colloquially called Sea Shrine (海神社) due to that being a more common reading of the characters. It is also read as Kai Shrine or called Tarumi Shrine.

History
According to the shrine's legend, Empress Jingū was nearly shipwrecked when returning to Japan from a military conquest in Korea. She survived thanks to praying to Watatsumi, and made the shrine to honor him. There are 22 Watatsumi shrines in the region that claim to have been founded by her in these circumstances. Ikasuri Shrine and Ikuta Shrine were both also made at the same time by the Empress. The son of Tomomi no Sukune who accompanied the Empress on her expedition became the first priest of the shrine.

In 806 AD, the shrine was financially supported by taxes from ten households. It was listed as a Myojin Taisha, the highest rank of significant shrines in the 927 AD Engishiki.

In the Edo Period it gained a lot of significance for the rulers of the Akashi Domain, who visited it every February.

Originally its main Torii was located on the beach like Itsukushima Shrine, but due to land reclamation after WWII its torii is now a fair bit inland.