DISCOVER FUKUI

Tsurugi Shrine was burned down by Taira no Kiyomori in 1161, but Taira no Shigemori, Kiyomori's eldest son, rebuilt the shrine in 1164. Shigemori is enshrined at the Komatsu Ken'un Shrine within the grounds.

Tsurugi Shrine is the second most important shrine (Ninomiya) in Echizen Province, boasting a history of 1,800 years (the first being Kehi Jingu Shrine in Tsuruga). It is also known as a shrine bustling with many first-visit worshippers every year.

It is said that the ancestors of the Sengoku warlord Oda Nobunaga were priests at this shrine and adopted the name "Oda" from the place name of their hometown.

The main hall is designated a Prefectural Cultural Property, the temple bell is a National Treasure, and the "Myojin Bayashi" drum performance dedicated in autumn is designated a Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property. The National Treasure bell is considered the third oldest temple bell in Japan and is one of six National Treasures in Fukui Prefecture. In October 2015, it was entrusted to the adjacent Echizen Town Oda Culture and History Museum.

Within the precincts stands the "Omokaru Stone." Legend says that if you lift it while thinking of a wish, it will feel light if your wish is likely to come true, and heavy if it is unlikely.

Around early April, clusters of dogtooth violets bloom within the sacred forest.