Kami no Miya Kojin Shrine

On the nearby guide map this little shrine is called Kari no Miya Kojin Shrine, but in the torii and shrine building it is called Hachidai Aragami Shrine.

Many shrines had their names changed in the early Meiji Period, to remove any buddhist influence from the shrine ( a process akin to unscrambling eggs), and to add an Imperial identity.

After WWII when the states grip on shrines was loosened many shrines chose to revert to their earlier identity.

Aragami is a term often translated as "rough deity", but I have come to prefer the word "turbulent" over rough. Aragami are often "Earth" kami, ie natural forces that can be dangerous and violent. Kojin is certainly an aragami, though at this shrine there was no rope snake typical of other kojin shrines in Izumo.

The shrine is located on a small hill in Taisha Town between Izumo taisha and Inasa beach.

There were a couple of small Inari shrines in the grounds.