Shichirui-ura

Historical Footprints

Shichirui is written with different characters in the Izumo Fudoki, which includes the description: “There is a shrine in the south and dwellings in the north. It has an anchorage capacity of thirty boats.” It is considered the northernmost harbor on the Shimane Peninsula. The present-day Shichirui Shrine stands on the right-hand side when approaching from the town along Route 485.

A point of uncertainty arises from the poem’s reference to the former shrine name ‘Kita Daimyojin.’ The Unyoushi records for Shichirui-ura mention only Miho Myojin and Kuniyoshi Myojin. Later Meiji-period imperial records list only Shichirui Shrine and Miho Shrine, suggesting that Kuniyoshi may have already been incorporated into what is now recognized as Shichirui Shrine.

Adding to the complexity, Kanezaki Junpei, who visited in 1863, recorded the shrine under the name ‘Kokushi Daimyojin.’ This raises the possibility that Kuniyoshi and Kokushi were alternative names, and that these may also relate to the ‘Kita Daimyojin’ mentioned in the poem.

Further references from the early Edo-period scholar Kishizaki Tokiteru include shrine names written with characters that can also be read as ‘Kita,’ indicating a possible linguistic connection.

In 1866, Omura Washiro recorded worship at Miho Daimyojin (Nada no Miya), and also mentioned an ‘Upper Shrine’ (Ue no Miya) located on a mountain, identified as Kunishi Daimyojin.

The present-day Shichirui Shrine corresponds to this ‘Upper Shrine’—in other words, Kunishi Daimyojin—and may also be linked to the name Kita Daimyojin. Local historical records describe the area using the name ‘Kitagata,’ reflecting the evolution of the word ‘Kita’ in this region.

The enshrined deity, Mihotsu-hime-no-kami, is believed to have originally been worshipped at Miho Myojin Shrine, which was merged with Shichirui Shrine in 1909. Although the original shrine name is no longer in use, traces remain in the place name ‘Miya-ura’ on the opposite shore of Shichirui Harbor.

Pilgrimage Route Guide

Shichirui Shrine stands like a gateway to the Oki Islands, a designated UNESCO Global Geopark site.

To reach the shrine, head toward Shichirui Harbor along the Mihonoseki Prefectural Road. Turn right at the convenience store, keeping the Matsue Police Station on your left, then proceed north through the tunnel. The shrine is located near the road leading down to the harbor.

The New Year festival, held around January 3rd, is a lively and festive occasion. Children carry red flags while the deity Toshitokujin is paraded through the town in a mikoshi (portable shrine), which is energetically jostled as it meets mikoshi from neighboring areas.

During the festival, leaders take turns in groups of six, patrolling the streets arm in arm with their faces decorated in ink. Meanwhile, local children gather at the shrine, share a meal, and take home treats collected by the community.

Until about a decade ago, children would even stay overnight at the shrine, sleeping together in groups. For them, it was an eagerly anticipated event and a memorable experience of spending a night away from home.

Offerings to the deity include three types of food: chopped arame seaweed and daikon (radish), known for aiding digestion, as well as taro shaped into round balls.

Heading east from the shrine leads to the high-speed ferry terminal for the Oki Islands. The nearby Meteor Plaza, which includes facilities such as a heated pool, has become a popular gathering place for local residents.

Not far to the west, in the mountainous area of Shichirui, there is also a memorial to the meteorite that fell near Meijima Shrine in Souzu Bay about twenty years ago, linking this area to that remarkable event.