In the large precinct of Katori Jingu you can find Katori Gokoku Shrine. Katori Gokoku Shrine was established in 1946 and is dedicated to the people from the Katori area who fell in battle. Entering the red main gate of Katori Jingu Shrine, there is a road on the left side of the approach which you can take to reach Katori Gokoku Shrine.
Also nearby, you can find the Kaname stone, which is known as a guardian deity to protect against earthquakes. When some people dug around the stone a long time ago, they couldn’t reach the bottom so it is believed that it is much bigger than you would expect. It is mysterious since the stone in the Katori Jingu Shrine is convex, but the other one in Kashima Jingu Shrine is concave. After visiting the stone, you can go back to the main road that leads toward Katori Gokoku Shrine.
The road heading for the stone is narrow and surrounded by many trees but at the end, there is a large open space and the shrine. You can see the main building on the left-hand side and the wooden torii gate, on the right-hand side.
It has a very nice atmosphere, very different from the other shrines in the precinct. When I visited, there were only a few people there to worship. So if you have time, it is better to worship at this shrine in the quiet, without the crowds.
Big and famous shrines often have many subordinate shrines within their precinct and these often have very interesting stories. I always recommend people visit these subordinate shrines too to discover more about the main shrine.
Kashima Jingu Shrine is another famous shrine in the area and I recommend visiting it at the same time as Katori Jingu Shrine.
Getting there
You can access both Katori Jingu Shrine and Kashima Jingu Shrine in Kashima City. The closest stations are JR Sahara Station or Katori Station.
More info
Find out more about Katori Shrine.
