Shiromi Shrine

Shiromi Shrine, deep in the Higashimera district of Saito, Miyazaki Prefecture, is an old shrine with Mount Tatsufusa rising behind it as its sacred body. Located in the central Kyushu range where rivers meet, its form embraced by deep forest truly deserves to be called a remote power spot.

The enshrined deities include Oyamatsumi no Kami and Iwanaga-hime no Mikoto. The name Shiromi, meaning silver mirror, comes from a myth that the mirror in which Iwanaga-hime saw her own reflection came to rest in a great tree at the summit of Mount Tatsufusa. A ridge plaque records its founding in the Chokyo era of the Muromachi period, conveying its long history to this day. The shrine is known nationwide for the Shiromi Kagura, designated an important intangible folk cultural property.

Highlights

• Mount Tatsufusa, the sacred body, so that the shrine itself feels wrapped in the energy of the earth.
• A quiet precinct surrounded by tall trees, with the clear air found only in a mountain village.
• The Shiromi Kagura, designated an important intangible folk cultural property, a precious dance retaining the character of hunting ritual, performed through the night in mid-December each year.
• A distinctive festival culture that binds mountain life and faith, including a rite offering the head of a wild boar in connection with the kagura.

Enjoying the Seasons

The budding of spring, the deep green of summer, the colors of the autumn mountains, and the kagura of winter each bring a different charm. The December kagura season is especially captivating, when the all-night dance echoes through the village in a mystical atmosphere. At other times visitors are few, and the quiet air of the mountain village can be savored at leisure.

Access and Basic Information

• Location: Shiromi, Saito, Miyazaki Prefecture
• Car: because it lies in the mountains beyond central Saito, access is essentially by car. It is some distance from town, so plan with ample travel time.
• Some stretches of road are narrow with continuous curves, so drive carefully and watch for oncoming vehicles.
• It grows cold during the kagura season, so thorough warm clothing is needed, especially for nighttime viewing.

Practical Travel Notes

Practical advice from the TabiTabi Japan editorial team.

• The Shiromi Kagura is performed in mid-December each year, with some pieces continuing all night. If viewing, bring warm clothing, hand warmers, and a hot drink for the nighttime cold. Dates and whether viewing is possible can change from year to year, so check the latest information with Saito in advance.
• In the mountains at night there are few streetlights and the roads are narrow, so if visiting at night for the kagura, drive with great care and keep to an unrushed schedule.
• There are few shops near the shrine, so it is safer to buy food, drink, and fuel in central Saito early.
• Mobile phone reception is weak in some stretches. Check your map and route before setting out.

A Quick Tip

If you visit, aim for the Shiromi Kagura season in December. The drums and dance echoing through the deep mountain village make for a sacred experience you cannot find anywhere else. Nighttime viewing is cold, so prepare thorough warm clothing. Even on ordinary days the quiet precinct is a place to spend special time wrapped in the air of deep forest.

📚 Sources

For Shiromi Shrine, the tourism guidance of Saito City and local origin writings are useful. Mount Tatsufusa as the sacred body and the Shiromi kagura, a nationally designated important intangible folk cultural property, can also be checked in public information.

The dates of the Shiromi kagura and whether viewing is allowed change from year to year. Fees, hours, and access may change, so please confirm with official sources before you set out.

Visitor Checklist

• Time needed: About 20 to 30 minutes to worship in the quiet precinct; to watch the Shiromi kagura in December, allow ample time, as some pieces continue through the night.
• What to bring: It is far from town with narrow, winding sections, so drive carefully; the kagura season is cold at night, so bring warm clothing, hand warmers, and hot drinks, and prepare food and fuel early in the city, as shops are few nearby.
• Suggested route: Head into the mountains from central Saito and worship in the precinct with Mount Tatsufusa as its sacred body; if you visit, aiming for the Shiromi kagura in mid-December lets you experience the sacred all-night dancing.