#208 Ushidoko moisho

Yakushima, Kagoshima

Taking a side road off the path leading to Shiratani Unsuikyo Gorge, you'll find yourself in a sacred place: Ushidoko Shrine. Every spring and autumn, a pilgrimage to Mount Miyanoura takes place, and in the past, because women were forbidden from participating, the women of the village would greet the men returning from the pilgrimage at Ushidoko Shrine. The two moss-covered Nio statues (guardian deities) are designated as historical sites by Yakushima Town.