Yodohime Shrine (Kawakami Shrine)

與止日女神社（川上神社・通称：淀姫さん）よどひめじんじゃ

Yodohime Shrine, founded in 564 CE according to a lost fragment of the Hizen no Kuni Fudoki, sits on the Kase River in the Kawakami Gorge of Saga City and is the ichinomiya, or first-rank shrine, of former Hizen Province. Its deity, Yodohime no Mikoto, is venerated as a goddess of seas, rivers, and waters, and is also identified in some traditions with Toyotamahime, the grandmother of the first emperor. The shrine's old name in the Fudoki, Seta-hime the Stone Deity, points to an underlying stone- and water-cult layer that still survives today. Highlights on the grounds include a roughly 1,450-year-old sacred camphor tree, the Kinsei stone for fertility and safe childbirth, the Muromachi-period west gate, and the 1608 Hizen-style stone torii. The shrine is also known for a regional taboo: catfish, considered the goddess's messengers, are not eaten in this area. The peach-ball ("momodama") amulet listed in some informal sources could not be verified against authoritative references during this survey, and visitors who hope to receive one should confirm availability with the shrine office in advance.

H I G H L I G H T S

Highlights

01Vermilion two-storied gate and the Hizen-style stone torii built in 1608 (city-designated cultural property)
02Sacred camphor tree said to be around 1,450 years old, roughly 30 m tall with a 27 m trunk circumference
03Riverside setting on the Kawakami Gorge of the Kase River with a main hall rebuilt in 1816 by the Nabeshima clan
04Kinsei-sama (stone deity) for fertility and safe childbirth, and the local taboo against eating catfish, the goddess's messengers
05West gate built in 1573, a four-legged gate designated as a prefectural important cultural property

A C C E S S ／ M E T A

Essentials

Location: Saga Prefecture Saga City
Address
Fee
Hours
Status
Nearest: JR佐賀駅（佐賀駅からタクシー約20分／バス約30分）
Walk: 3 min
Parking: 境内駐車場あり（約30台、無料）
Time: 45分〜1時間30分（御朱印・祈祷を含めると2時間程度。川上峡散策と合わせるなら半日）

R E F E R E N C E

References

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