Susanoo Shrine, located just behind Koshien Stadium, is famous as a shrine in the sacred ground of Koshien where many people connected to baseball come to pray.
That said, of course, this shrine existed long before Koshien Stadium was built.
There are no surviving records about the shrine’s founding, so the details are unclear, but one theory says it has more than 300 years of history.
Incidentally, to distinguish it from other Susanoo Shrines, it is sometimes written as “Koshien Susanoo Shrine,” but its official name is “Susanoo Shrine.”
I’d like to introduce Susanoo Shrine briefly, mainly through photos.
There are two torii gates, and this one is on the east side (perhaps it’s best to say the stadium side).
And this is the torii gate facing the road on the south side.
Here is an overall view of the shrine.
This large ball-shaped monument was installed in 2008.
The character “夢” (“dream”) is carved into it, and the calligraphy was written by Senichi Hoshino of the Hanshin Tigers.
This baseball monument was also erected in 2004, with calligraphy by Akinobu Okada.
At the foot of the baseball monument, there is a home plate-shaped paving stone like this.
Home plate is both the starting point and the place you return to, so it is said to carry the wish that high school baseball players will go pro and someday return to Koshien.
“Huh? Why is Ebessan inside Susanoo Shrine?”
I’m sure many people will wonder that, but…
This area was originally a district called Nakatsu, and Ebessan, who had been enshrined there, is said to have moved here. So it’s a different Ebessan from the one at Nishinomiya Shrine.
Of course, Susanoo Shrine enshrines Susanoo, and apparently there are many Susanoo Shrines throughout Japan in areas with rivers.
One of Susanoo’s divine virtues is flood control, so when rivers overflow, people pray to Susanoo to calm the waters.
In the past, the Muko River and Edagawa River also flooded often, which is why Susanoo Shrine was built here.
Incidentally, another of Susanoo’s divine virtues is healing illness.
I hope the novel coronavirus comes to an end as soon as possible.
