Nov 4, 2013 - 1 min read

Shinmei Jinja Shrine, Sabae

A beautiful place to take a morning walk

By Larry Knipfing

Community writer

Beautiful eaves, and colorful bells

Beautiful dark wood and early morning light

Guardian of the shrine

A beautiful horse, God's servant, dominates the grounds

The splash of color delights!

All temples and shrines have a purification basin

The long walk up to the shrine through Karasuga-mori. The forest is 24,200 square meters and a designated Cultural Treasure of Sabae

Main entrance to the shrine

The shrine's back entrance

Back of the shrine where the main alter is kept. The shrine was moved to its current location in 1129

The lovely "Uryu House" as it is called. Shrine priests used to live here

The shrine and its horse

Shimei Jinja Shrine (a collection of five shrines) is situated directly across the street from the Shinmei-en Hotel where I stayed in October. I woke up early and decided to take a walk. I found this shrine - the back entrance, actually. At 6 AM, it was chilly, empty, and serene. The wood of the shrine building was old and dark, but there was a splash of color here and there that added beauty to everything. There were other surprises: an old beautiful wooden house, a statue of a horse, a pond, a long, long walkway leading to the main entrance. A couple walking their dog greeted me in English with a cheerful "Good morning." It was a beautiful day in Sabae, Fukui.

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Larry Knipfing

By Larry Knipfing

Community writer

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