Oarai Isosaki Shrine
Oarai Isosaki Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Ōarai City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It sits on the Kantō Plain by the Pacific Ocean and is famous for its three torii gates that lead toward the sea. The Kamiiso Torii, located on the coast, faces east to the sunrise and offers a stunning view as the sun rises.
The shrine honors two kami, Onamuchi-no-Mikoto and Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto, believed to have helped create Japan. In historical Buddhist traditions, these deities have been associated with Bhaisajyaguru. The ocean itself is the shrine’s sacred Shintai, or kannabi, meaning the gods descend to the sea here.
Oarai Isosaki Shrine was founded in 856 AD. It was destroyed in a 16th-century war and rebuilt in 1690 with support from patrons including Tokugawa Mitsukuni. The site is designated a cultural property by Ibaraki Prefecture. The shrine’s hall is guarded by frog statues, instead of the usual lion-dogs, and the frog is a symbol of good luck and safe return.
Nearby is Sakatsura Isosaki Shrine, a related shrine devoted to the same deities. The Kamiiso Torii is especially noted for its sunrise view, with sunlight shining through the gate and turning it a striking red; at night it is illuminated by the moon.
Oarai Isosaki Shrine is about 2.5 kilometers from Oarai Station and can be reached by taxi or bus.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 01:33 (CET).