This shrine, dedicated to the goddess “Niutsuhime-no-Ōkami”—who bestowed Mount Kōya upon Kōbō Daishi—is located in the beautiful mountain village of Amano.

The Great Goddess Niutsuhime is also said to be a goddess clad in red. Although it was raining on June 24, the day of our visit, the shrine buildings, painted with cinnabar (a red pigment), were drenched in rain, making them appear even more beautiful and commanding, and we found ourself utterly captivated.

At this shrine, which has stood for over 1,700 years, a red pigment extracted from ore is believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits, and the tradition of painting shrines and temples red originates from this vermilion. It is also said that 1,200 years ago, when Kūkai was searching for a central sanctuary for Shingon Esoteric Buddhism, he was guided by a hunter accompanied by two dogs—one white and one black—who led him to the founding of Mount Kōya. Kūkai regarded the hunter as an incarnation of the Great Deity Niutsuhime and revered him as the chief guardian deity of Mount Kōya and the patron deity of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism.

This can be seen as the beginning of the spirit of the fusion of Shinto and Buddhism.

The goddess who presides over cinnabar—a substance refined from mercury, used in medicine, and believed to possess mystical powers—is said to ward off all calamities. We passed through the straw ring and prayed for good health and freedom from illness.

The sacred bridge leading to the shrine dates back to the Kamakura period. The surrounding forest is deep, mysterious, and beautiful, and it feels as though it has been protecting the shrine since ancient times. It is a wonderful shrine where the Japanese spirit of prayer still lives on today.