On January the 2nd 2018, we visited Niutsuhime Jinja Shrine（丹生都比売神社）for new year’s visit to a Shinto Shrine. It is raked 1st among the shrines in Kii, founded more than 1700 years ago, located at Kii Sanchi mountains, and one of the world cultural heritages in Kii.「丹 (Ni)」means「朱 (Shu)」, i.e. cinnabar（辰砂）, and is believed to be powerful talisman. This place is said to produce such cinnabar.
Sorihashi Bridge（輪橋）.
Romon Gate（楼門）is an important cultural property. People pray to goddesses/gods from here.
It worships 1. Niutsuhimenoohkami（丹生都比売大神）, a goddess for avoiding all the disasters; 2. Takanomikonoohkami（高野御子大神）, a god that guide Kobodaishi（弘法大師）to Mt. Koyasan (the famous base for the activities of Kobodaishi, who will appear at cinema screen this February as “Kukai（空海）”), mimicking a hunter with a black and a white dogs, and also guide people to their happiness; 3. Ohgetsuhimenoohkami（大食都比売大神）, a goddess of food; 4. Ichikishimahimenoohkami（市杵島比売大神）, a goddess of treasury and acts, also known as Benten（弁天）; for additional Wakamiya（若宮）, Gyosho-Shonin（行勝上人）, a monk that contributed to the development of Koyasan.
From right to left, a shrine for Niutsuhimenoohkami, Takanomikonoohkami, Ohgetsuhimenoohkami, Ichikishimahimenoohkami, Gyosho-Shonin. The former four are importatnt cultural peoperties.
Monuments for mountaineering ascetics and Mandala for Mantra of Light（光明真言曼荼羅碑）.
A monument for Mandala for Mantra of Light and a monument at its back.
A feretory of Ishizushi-in-Wakinoshuku（脇ノ宿石厨子）。It worships a famous shaman, Ennogyoja（役行者）.
Hyakudoishi Stone（百度石）. It is marble and people go around this stone a hundred times during prays at the shrine for a hundred times to achieve ones’ heart desires.
