Motoise Kono Shrine - Where the Divine Departed, but Never Left | MK Deep Dive

In northern Kyoto, near the pine-lined coast along the Sea of Japan, there’s a shrine once thought to be the home of the gods. Long before Ise became Japan’s spiritual center, and before Mie’s grand halls echoed with prayer, there was Motoise Kono Shrine. This isn’t just a historic site — it’s where the story begins. It’s where the sun goddess Amaterasu first arrived, and where Toyouke Ōmikami, the deity of food and industry, lived before joining her in Ise. That’s why it’s called “Motoise”—the Former Ise. Even today, the story still lingers in the air.

Perched near Amanohashidate—a sandbar famous as one of Japan’s Three Scenic Views—Motoise Kono Shrine holds both physical and spiritual significance. It was once the highest-ranking shrine in the historic Tango Province and remains essential today. As a Myōjin Taisha and the Ichinomiya of the region, it has strong connections to the imperial bloodline through the Amabe clan, whose genealogy—Japan’s oldest—is regarded as a National Treasure. However, it mostly remains sealed and unseen.

The shrine’s architecture reflects that of Ise: solemn halls built in the Shinmei-zukuri style, with forked finials on the rooftops and sacred railings decorated with five-colored, flame-shaped jewels called suedama—a rare honor shared only with Ise Grand Shrine. At the gate, a pair of komainu guardian dogs from the Kamakura period stand watch, one scarred and tied by an iron ring. Legend says it was punished by the warrior Iwami Jūtaro after causing trouble on Amanohashidate. Even the stories here seem old and weathered, like stones shaped by centuries of wind.

Behind the main shrine is Manai Jinja, the hidden core of the complex—originally the first home of Toyouke. Here, sacred waters called Ame no Manai no Mizu still flow from an ancient spring, said to have come from the heavens in a golden bowl. Behind the hall, groups of stones known as iwakura mark spots where gods were believed to dwell—long before shrines were ever built.

This is a place where everything—air, stone, and water—feels sacred. Not overly curated, but truly alive.

And in the quiet space between forest and sea, luxury isn’t about what’s added. It’s about what’s been left untouched.

Let MK Be Your Personal Guide to the Divine Edge of Kyoto

As part of MK’s Epic Scenery Course (8hrs), Motoise Kono Shrine offers not just a destination, but a shift in perspective. From the celestial legends of Amanohashidate to the sacred waters of Manai Shrine, this journey moves with quiet gravity. Your private English-speaking driver-guide will lead you through sites where history, mythology, and landscape converge.

Ride in the unmatched comfort of MK’s Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II EWB, where elegance is unspoken and the road unfolds like a prayer. Whether you stand beneath the five-colored suedama or peer into the stillness of an ancient spring, let MK guide you where few tread—but the gods once did.

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