Shichinomiya Shrine

Nanaomiya Shrine is a shrine in Hyogo Ward, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, enshrining Onamuchi-no-Mikoto, Oohirume-muchi-no-Mikoto, and Ame-no-Koyane-no-Mikoto. It is also known as one of the Ikuta Kakushi Shin Hassha (the eight auxiliary shrines associated with Ikuta Shrine). The main deity, Onamuchi-no-Mikoto, is said to have seven names, which is the origin of the shrine’s name. Access to Nanaomiya Shrine is about a 7-minute walk from Chuoichiba-mae Station on the Kobe Municipal Subway, or about a 10-minute walk from Shinkaichi Station on the Kobe Kosoku Railway. According to tradition, when Taira no Kiyomori was relocating the capital to Fukuhara, the deity dwelling on Shiotsuchi-yama—where soil was being taken for the construction of Kyoga-shima—became angry and caused violent storms. After the shrine was moved to the present site and enshrined there, construction proceeded safely. For this reason, the shrine is also closely associated with the Taira clan. Nanaomiya Shrine is believed to bring blessings for maritime safety, land development, matchmaking, and warding off misfortune. The Ikuta Kakushi Shin Hassha are also known for the “Hassha Pilgrimage,” a circuit that has been popular since the Edo period; many people still collect goshuin (shrine stamps) as they visit each shrine in turn.