Watazumi Shrine
Religion
AffiliationShinto
DeityHikohohodemi no Mikoto and Toyotamabime
Location
Geographic coordinateshttps://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?language=en&pagename=%E5%92%8C%E5%A4%9A%E9%83%BD%E7%BE%8E%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE&params=34_22_45.5_N_129_18_42.7_E_region:JP-42_scale:20000&title=%E5%92%8C%E5%A4%9A%E9%83%BD%E7%BE%8E%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE
Glossary of Shinto

Watazumi Shrine, also known as Watatsumi Shrine is a shinto shrine in Tsushima, Nagasaki.[1]

It is a major tourist destination for tourists from South Korea.[2][3][4][5]

Torii facing the sea
Torii seen from the sea side
Three pillar torii in the pond
Three-pillar torii gate next to the shrine

It has a famous row of five torii in a row with two in the ocean similar to Itsukushima Shrine.[1]

In January 2020 they banned foreigners due to behavioral issues by South Korean guests.[2][3][4][5]

In 2020 it was damaged by a typhoon and Ghost of Tsushima fans helped raise money to repair it.[6][7][8][9]

Tourist issues

In January 2020 they banned foreigners due to behavioral issues by South Korean guests.[2] The ban was due to vandalism, thefts, and a threat against the head priest.[2]

Complaints included picnics at the shrine, a YouTuber filming there without permission, tour guides disrespecting sacred areas, and Korean graffiti. Some amulets were stolen. A Korean tour guide threatened the priest's life.[2]

This ban substantially reduced the amount of Korean tourists who visited Tsushima.[2]

Typhoon destruction

A typhoon damaged the Torii gate at Watatsumi Shrine in Tsushima, Japan. This happened in September 2020.[7][10] A crowdfunding campaign started on November 27, 2020 on the Japanese website Camp-Fire.[7] It aimed to repair the gate.[10][8][7]

The campaign reached its initial goal quickly. This goal was 5 million yen. It was reached by December 1, 2020. The campaign ended on January 10, 2021. It raised 27,103,882 yen. This is about $260,435. Many donors were fans of the "Ghost of Tsushima" game.[10]

The restoration was planned to start in April 2021,, and to finish by August 2021. There were plans for a stone monument. It would list the names of those who donated at least 10,000 yen. Concerns were raised over coronavirus affecting the construction.[10][8]

In the game "Ghost of Tsushima," there is a similar shrine. It is the Scarlet Rock Shrine. The real shrine is dedicated to two deities, Hikohohodemi no Mikoto and Toyotamabime. The game's shrine is dedicated to Tsukuyomi.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Tsushima: a boundary island of Japan | The Japan Times". 2013-09-28. Archived from the original on 2013-09-28. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Japan's Watatsumi Shrine bans foreigners after vandalism and alleged death threat against priest | South China Morning Post". 2020-01-14. Archived from the original on 2020-01-14. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  3. 1 2 Wen, Lok Jian (2023-07-10). "Vandalism, peeling ceiling art: Japan temples suffer damage". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  4. 1 2 "Japanese shrine bans foreign visitors following disrespectful behaviour by tourists". SoraNews24 -Japan News-. 2020-01-13. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  5. 1 2 Alyse (2023-02-09). "Overtourism in Japan: A Victim of its Own Success?". The Invisible Tourist. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  6. 1 2 "Ghost of Tsushima fans have helped raise $260k for repairs on the real island". VGC. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Ghost of Tsushima fans come together to help fund repair of Watatsumi Shrine gate". Destructoid. 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  8. 1 2 3 Oloman, Jordan (2021-01-11). "Ghost of Tsushima Fans Help With Real-Life Tsushima Island Repairs". IGN. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  9. ↑ "Kaijin Shrine Tathagata Buddha". Cultural Property Disputes Resource. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Tsushima's Watatsumi Shrine Crowdfunding Ended at Over 500%". Siliconera. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
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