Okafuto Shrine's Prayer Hall

Old shrine founded in the 6th century by Emperor Keitai

Takako Sakamoto Dec 01, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Red torii gate of Okafuto Shrine under the blue sky</p>

<p>Looking at the prayer hall from the gate</p>

<p>Prayer hall of Okafuto Shrine on a sunny autumn day</p>

<p>Water purification font, a stone lantern and the red torii gate at Okafuto Shrine</p>

<p>Signboard of Okafuto Shrine hanging on the red torii gate</p>

<p>Water purification font and tall cedar trees towering over it</p>

<p>Stone lantern with tall cedar trees and orange maple trees in the background</p>

<p>Statue of sacred horse on the shrine grounds</p>

<p>Beautiful roof ornament of the prayer hall</p>

<p>Map of the shrine. The spacious grounds stretching up and along the hillside.</p>

<p>Beautiful red maple tree standing beside the stairway</p>

<p>Looking up at the eaves of the prayer hall</p>

<p>Prayer hall with the stone monument of Emperor Keitai in front</p>

<p>Looking down at the shrine grounds through gorgeous autumn foliage</p>

<p>Beautiful shrine roof and autumn leaves</p>

<p>Shrine grounds decorated with colorful autumn leaves</p>

Okafuto Shrine sits at the foot of Horai Hill in Echizen city, Fukui. It is said that Emperor Keitai, when he was still a prince and living in Echizen province, founded this shrine to pray for successful flood control of Kuzuryu, Asuwa and Hino rivers sometime before 507 A.D. (in olden times, when these rivers flooded Echizen Plain turned into a lake). The main entrance of the shrine faces the road on the ground level, but you can also enter the shrine through Kakyo Park, which is on the hillside. From this prayer hall, the stone steps lead you to the Mikoshi Hall and Main Prayer Hall at the elevated level on the hill.

More info

Find out more about Kakyo Park.

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...