Ebisu Shrine in Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture

This beautiful building is Ebisu Shrine in Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture.

This shrine is a sub-shrine of Miho Shrine in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, which is dedicated to Ebisu-sama, the god famous of safety at sea and abundant catches of fish.

The most unique feature of this shrine is that it is built on a rocky reef. Therefore, at high tide or in bad weather, the path to the shrine sinks into the sea, creating a mystical view of the shrine on one small island. For this reason, the Ebisu Shrine is called the Mont Saint-Michel of the Sanin region. When the tide is low or the weather is good, a path leading to the shrine appears out of the sea and visitors can visit the shrine. Such a beautiful scene once became the model for the wall paintings of the Imperial Palace by the famous Japanese painter, Kaii Higashiyama.

Ebisu Shrine from a distance is of course very beautiful, but once you reach the island, you can see the beautiful expanse of the Sea of Japan. The relaxing sound of the waves hitting the reefs is a wonderful way to refresh.

Please come and see such beautiful views for yourself!

(Photos and words by Miko)

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