Most beautiful shrine ever! My dream was to see it with my own eyes. The weather was perfect too, it was a hot and sunny day. It couldn’t have been better. The Sea of Japan was stunning in the sunshine. Absolutely worth to travel here. There is no public transportation to this shrine, so I recommend to book a tour on Klook. Our itinerary included Kanmon Bridge, Akiyoshido Cave and Tsunoshima Bridge too. And our travel guide, Sun was the best.
It's a beautiful view of the red torii, the green trees, and the blueish ocean. It was overcast during our visit, but it didn't detract from the experience. The ocean, the waves, the cliffs all give it a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Up top there are a few shrines with fox-like statues. They say you can whisper your wish into the large ears.
The walk down though the torii is easy enough, but the hike back up is what's going to get you if you're not accustomed to that kind of walk, or if your body doesn't work as well as it used to. Give yourself a couple of hours here if you like to enjoy nature.
The only disappointment was that the sign for the parking lot said it was 300 yen for the day. I was charged 400 for a couple hours. Not going to break the bank, but the reality and expectations did not align here.
A nice place to view the ocean and shrine that has 123 torii gates. Only downside is the long journey to this rather remote location to view. Also, they shrine used to have a tossing game at one of the main torii gate but has now been discontinued.
Absolutely peaceful trails to explore!
Motonosumi Shrine (元乃隅神社), located in Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, is a stunning coastal shrine famous for its 123 vibrant red torii gates winding along cliffs overlooking the Sea of Japan.
⛩️⛩️⛩️The view of 123 torii gates dedicated over 10 years from Showa 62 to over 100 meters is truly a masterpiece! It is popular as one of the most spectacular scenic spots in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
If you're lucky, you can see the "Ryugu no Shiofuki" (Spout of the Dragon Palace), where seawater shoots up about 30 meters high from the rocks at the foot of the hill near the "Main Torii" (front torii gate) at the entrance to the shrine. It looks just like a dragon rising to the sky.
The rocks are slippery, so please be careful when walking there.
When the weather is nice, the color of sea surface is a vibrant blue, and paired with brightly colored red birdhouses, it's beautiful! But since there are many stairs, older visitors should pay attention to the safety of their feet when visiting here.
