Oimatsu Shrine

Oimatsu Shrine

Oimatsu Shrine is close to the Waterwheels of Hishino, and seems to be a fairly typical village shrine.

I've gotten pretty good at being able to spot rural shrines at a distance as they are often "islands" of large trees.

I was heading north and northeast away from the Chikugo River towards the first pilgrimage temple of  day 54 of my first Kyushu pilgrimage.

There are quite a few Oimatsu shrines, most seem to be in northern Kyushu, but also western Honshu. The signboard here was not very helpful, but Oimatsu shrines enshrine Sugawara Michizane.

Why it is not a Tenjin or Tenmangu shrine is not clear. Maybe Oimatsu shrines enshrine a different "aspect" of Michizane.

Though located about as far from the sea as its possible to be in Kyushu, ie right in the middle of northern Kyushu, there was offerings of seaweed and small dried fish.

The main hall also had a painted ceiling and a large number of ema in the form of large paintings.

Also unusual was this group of statues.....

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