Miyazaki Prefecture Gokasecho Tourist Spot: Sankasho Shrine

Sankasho Shrine was established when a small shrine (hokora) from Mt. Futagami, said to be the site of the descent of the heavenly grandson, was brought down and built at the mountain’s foot.
Founded around the late 900s CE, its nagare-zukuri-style structure is entirely made of cypress, and its architectural design and carvings are regarded as masterpieces of the early modern period.
This main hall is designated as a tangible cultural property of Miyazaki Prefecture.

The site also houses the stone-carved Gate Guardian Deity statues (two faces), which are designated as a prefectural tangible cultural property.
At the autumn grand festival, Aradance, an ancient performance tradition from the Sakamoto district designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, is offered.

On November 30, 2022, 41 fūryū-odori (stylish folk dances) across Japan, including Gokase’s Aradance, were inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

On the shrine grounds and in the surrounding garden, you can find Tsukushi rhododendrons and western rhododendrons, along with weeping cherry trees and camellias.

They typically reach peak bloom from mid-April through mid-May, offering flower viewing during that period.

The Sankasho Shrine Spring Festival is held in April.

Deities enshrined: Izanagi no Mikoto, Izanami no Mikoto, Sarutahiko no Mikoto, and Fujiwara no Michizane (enshrined together).