Shinmei Jinja Shrine, Sabae

A beautiful place to take a morning walk

Larry Knipfing Nov 04, 2013 - 1 min read

Beautiful dark wood and early morning light

A beautiful horse, God's servant, dominates the grounds

All temples and shrines have a purification basin

The long walk up to the shrine through Karasuga-mori. The forest is 24,200 square meters and a designated Cultural Treasure of Sabae

Back of the shrine where the main alter is kept. The shrine was moved to its current location in 1129

The lovely "Uryu House" as it is called. Shrine priests used to live here

Shimei Jinja Shrine (a collection of five shrines) is situated directly across the street from the Shinmei-en Hotel where I stayed in October. I woke up early and decided to take a walk. I found this shrine - the back entrance, actually. At 6 AM, it was chilly, empty, and serene. The wood of the shrine building was old and dark, but there was a splash of color here and there that added beauty to everything. There were other surprises: an old beautiful wooden house, a statue of a horse, a pond, a long, long walkway leading to the main entrance. A couple walking their dog greeted me in English with a cheerful "Good morning." It was a beautiful day in Sabae, Fukui.

Larry Knipfing @larry.knipfing

Born on Long Island, New York in 1958, I have spent the last 30 years of my life living in Japan, and enjoying every minute of it! I especially love photography, and Japan is definitely one of the most beautiful places in the world to photograph! My other love is fiction writing and I have pub...