Tamayorihime | Tamasaki Shrine

Current Faith and Worship

She is the younger sister of Toyotama-hime. After her sister returned to the sea, she raised the orphaned infant (Ugayafukiaezu) into a fine man, and later married him, giving birth to the first Emperor, Jimmu. She is worshipped as a “god of child-rearing,” a “god nurturing new life,” a “god of spiritual rebirth and new beginnings,” and a “god of matchmaking” who crosses rough waves.

Shrine, Festival, and Historical Deep Dive: Kazusa-no-kuni Ichinomiya Tamasaki Shrine

History & Origins:

Founded at least 1,200 years ago (Engishiki Myojin Taisha). It is said to have begun by enshrining Tamayori-hime, who landed on Kujukuri Beach riding the Kuroshio (Black Current). The Pacific coast of the Boso Peninsula is heavily blessed by the Kuroshio, and she can be seen as the deification of the ocean’s vitality itself.

Festival (Kazusa Hadaka Matsuri):

The annual festival held every September is also known as the “Junisha Matsuri” (Festival of the Twelve Shrines). It is a ritual where Tamayori-hime and her clan of gods reunite on the beach once a year. Men carrying portable shrines sprint along the water’s edge in a festival brimming with vitality and the roughness of the sea.

Address and Access:

Address: 3048 Ichinomiya, Ichinomiya-machi, Chosei-gun, Chiba Prefecture

Access: About an 8-minute walk from JR Sotobo Line “Kazusa-Ichinomiya” Station.

“The day I embraced the tiny life my sister left behind, I made the resolve to ‘nurture.’ Blood ties aren’t the only thing that makes a family. You in the modern age are also sweating for someone other than yourselves, desperately trying to nurture something new, aren’t you? Whether it’s a project, a dream, or a human relationship. Upon that noble heart of compassion, I shall bestow a powerful vitality like the Kuroshio current.”