Yamatsumi Shrine

Yamatsumi Shrine stands on Mount Toratori in Iitate Village, Fukushima Prefecture, dedicated to Oyamatsumi, the mountain deity. Founded in 1051, this shrine is distinguished by its unique wolf worship tradition, a rarity among Japanese shrines that typically feature fox or lion-dog guardians. The mountain's name translates to "tiger capture" and derives from a legend in which a white wolf aided the samurai warrior Minamoto no Yoriyoshi (988–1075) in capturing a bandit who had terrorized local residents.

The shrine's most remarkable feature is its ceiling adorned with 242 paintings of wolves. These images represent wolves as divine messengers and protectors. Tragedy struck in April 2013 when fire destroyed the shrine and its century-old wolf paintings. The shrine was rebuilt in 2015, and the wolf ceiling paintings were meticulously restored over a 10-month period by graduate students from Tokyo University of the Arts, who worked from photographs taken by researchers before the fire.

Visitors encounter a white wolf statue at the shrine entrance rather than the traditional guardian dogs. The rebuilt shrine features modern amenities including automatic doors, climate control, and a vending machine dispensing protective amulets and fortunes for 50 to 100 yen. The original shrine structure sits higher on Mount Toratori, accessible via a hiking trail. The surrounding mountain forest has abundant wildlife, reflecting the shrine's connection to nature and its guardian animal spirits.

The shrine is located in a remote mountain setting and requires private transportation to reach. Access is via Route 115, reachable from the Tohoku Chuo Expressway via Reizan-Iitate IC. No public bus service operates to the shrine. Free parking is available on-site, along with toilet facilities. The resident priest typically attends on weekends and holidays. Admission to the shrine grounds is free.