Minatogawa Shrine

[A much-loved shrine in the center of Kobe dedicated to a warrior of the Nanboku-cho period]
Minatogawa Shrine, affectionately known as Nanko-san, is dedicated to Kusunoki Masashige, a warrior from the Nanboku-cho period who possessed the three virtues of wisdom, benevolence, and courage. Kusunoki is known for sacrificing his life for the emperor at the end of the Battle of Minatogawa in 1336. Later, Tokugawa Mitsukuni built a tomb for Kusunoki, which was visited by many patriots from the closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate, such as Sakamoto Ryoma and Yoshida Shoin. The cool approach to the shrine is lined with richly green camphor trees, fitting for a sacred spot in the middle of the city. The shrine is also the most visited in Hyogo Prefecture for family events—people flock here to pray for safe childbirth, for their newborn's first shrine visit, to celebrate the shichigosan festival, and to ward off evil spirits. For the first visit of the New Year, too, the shrine is the busiest in the city, with more than a million worshippers visiting from all around the country. The 164 ceiling paintings in the unique main hall are magnificent, while both the site where Kusunoki was killed and his tomb are nationally designated cultural properties.
Photo provided by: ©Minatogawa Shrine

[Admission Fee] Free
[Access] 3 min. walk north from JR Kobe Station; short walk from Kosoku Kobe Station on the Hankyu, Hanshin, and Sanyo lines
[Credit Card Payment] Not accepted
[Foreign Language Support] Yes