Kashima Jinja Shrine

Kashima Jinja Shrine is located in Kashima, about two kilometers southeast of Shirakawa Station. The Shirakawa Lantern Festival is held here, and it is counted as one of the Three Great Lantern Festivals of Japan (Shirakawa, Yahiko, Isshoku). During the festival, around 120,000 tourists come to visit from nearby prefectures. 16 stone komainu guardian lion-dogs dot the shrine grounds, and it is popular for visitors to do komainu-meguri and go around to see all 16 of the statues. Additionally, about a three-minute walk from the shrine there is an iwakura deity dwelling and a sacred tree, leading the area to be known as a power spot.