The project encourages people to find and submit photos of Kashima Shrines and Kashima Jinja throughout Japan, with the aim of showing the widespread presence of the name "Kashima" as more participants join. Another goal is to connect local exploration with regional revitalization.
As a test, I ran around the "Kashima Jinja" in Hokota City. Relying on my smartphone, I started running from Hot Park Hokota and found a small Kashima Shrine in a residential area near Hokota General Park.
Passing through the torii gate and entering the shrine forest, an otherworldly space covered in green opened up, with a quiet red shrine building nestled deep within. It was a small universe isolated from the mundane world, and standing there alone sent shivers down my spine.
Heading north on the Ibaraki Kashima Prefectural Road, a narrow wooden torii gate came into view. This, too, was said to be a Kashima Shrine. Passing through the torii gate and ascending a narrow, steep slope covered in spiderwebs, a tiny shrine stood there.
Continuing north, I arrived at Muryoju-ji Temple, selected as one of the Ibaraki Hyakkei (100 Landscapes of Ibaraki) in 1950 (thus, the location in the records is Kashima-gun). It is said that Shinran visited the temple during his pilgrimage to Kashima Jingu and, as per the wishes of the local residents, helped a ghost achieve nirvana.
I had no idea it existed, but after passing through the temple gate, I learned that this old temple also had ties to Kashima Jingu. This kind of fun run is enjoyable because of such serendipitous encounters. It truly is a small trip relying solely on my own two feet.
Turning left past Muryoju-ji Temple, crossing the Tomoe River, and heading south, I found Katori Kashima Shrine backed by a forest. This shrine is named Katori Kashima, after Kashima Jingu, which enshrines Takemikazuchi, the protagonist of the Kuni-yuzuri myth, and Katori Jingu, which enshrines Futsunushi, but this one is also very quiet.
At 6:30 AM, the solemn sound of a bell echoed in the silence. It was probably the bell of Muryoju-ji Temple, across the Tomoe River. I felt the synchronization of the river's and forest's rhythms with human activities.
Leaving the shrine, I proceeded along an unpaved road alongside the Tomoe River. This river flows through Kasama City and Omitama City before emptying into Lake Kitaura in Hokota City. The river here is a little over five meters wide, and the water depth only reaches my knees.
There was a person in the river. Were they cattails or reeds? They were probing their roots with a net. When I asked, they said they were targeting river shrimp and the like. It's an ordinary river, but the sight of someone catching shrimp adds to its charm.
Continuing along the unpaved road, I passed under the railway bridge of the Kashima Railway Line (Ishioka to Hokota), which was abandoned in 2007. As a junior high school student, I was a "Toritetsu" (train photography enthusiast), so seeing such remnants makes my heart race.
If I hadn't felt like visiting the Kashima Shrines in Hokota City, I would never have traveled this pleasant road. I think this is what "micro-tourism" is all about. I am grateful for the many small, chance encounters in a place not far from my home.
Text and Photos: Yoshida (Community Collaboration Team)
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Please also visit the "Hissho Kigan Kashi Map" website by volunteer students from the University of Tsukuba!