FUTARASAN SHRINE

Futarasan Shrine in Nikko a day trip from Tokyo. Futarasan Shrine is part of a World Heritage site.

Futarasan Shrine (二荒山神社 ,Futarasan Jinja) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. To distinguish it from the shrine in nearby Utsunomiya, it is also called Nikkō Futarasan Shrine. It enshrines three deities: Ōkuninushi, Tagorihime, and Ajisukitakahikone. It was founded in 767 by Shōdō shōnin (勝道上人).

Futarasan Shrine is located between Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Taiyū-in Mausoleum. Many visitors go to all three, as well as Rinnoji Temple.

Together with Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Rinnoji Temple, it forms the Temples and Shrines of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage Site. The shrine possesses two swords that are National treasures of Japan. Additionally, dozens of buildings and cultural artifacts are listed as Important Cultural Assets.

The Sacred Bridge (神橋 ,shinkyō) crossing the Daiya River belongs to the Futarasan Shrine.

(Article based on Wikipedia article and used under the GNU Free Documentation License)