Osaka is an ancient city with many cultural treasures that lie within its borders. Some of these historic structures are Shinto shines, like the Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine in south Osaka.
The Sumiyoshi-Taisha Shrine was originally built in the 3rd century (year 211) and is the head shrine for over 2300 other Sumiyoshi shrines throughout the country. The Sumiyoshi-Taisha Shrine is one of the most well known and heavily visited religious grounds in the Kansai area.
Notably, this shrine features Japanese architecture as it was before the arrival of Buddhism from the Asian mainland. As such, the shrine has a unique design known as sumiyoshi-zukuri that is thought of as being purely Japanese in origin.
During the New Year’s holiday break, several million people will come to this shrine and ask for a blessing from the gods. This pilgrimage is a sight worth seeing on its own!
The shrine is surrounded by a sacred wooded area that features a beautiful arched bridge and hundreds of stone lanterns.
Sumiyoshi-Taisha can be accessed from the nearby Sumiyoshitaisha Station (Hankai Line) or the Sumiyoshikoen Station (Nankai Line).
