Sumiyoshi Taisha

Sumiyoshi Taisha is recognizable by the Sorihashi Bridge, a steeply arched red structure that spans a quiet pond and serves as a formal entrance to the shrine grounds. Founded in two hundred eleven, this is one of Japan’s oldest and most important Shinto shrines, serving as the head shrine for over two thousand three hundred Sumiyoshi shrines nationwide. It is dedicated to three sea deities known as the Sumiyoshi Sanjin, who are believed to protect travelers and seafarers.