아카마 신궁

Akama Jingu was originally established in 1191 as Amidaji Temple to honor the spirit of Emperor Antoku, the child emperor who perished at the age of eight during the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185. This decisive naval battle ended the Genpei War between the Taira and Minamoto clans. The young emperor drowned alongside his grandmother, who leapt into the sea with him rather than face capture.

During the Meiji Restoration's separation of Buddhism and Shinto (shinbutsu bunri), the temple was converted to a Shinto shrine in 1875 and renamed Akama Jingu. The current distinctive vermilion main hall, designed in the Ryugu-zukuri style to resemble the legendary underwater Dragon Palace (Ryugu-jo), was reconstructed after being destroyed in World War II.

The shrine's most striking feature is its Suiten-mon Gate, painted in bright vermilion and designed to evoke the entrance to the undersea Dragon Palace from Japanese mythology—a fitting tribute given Emperor Antoku's death at sea. Inside the grounds, visitors can find the tombs of the Taira clan warriors who fell at Dan-no-ura, as well as memorial stones for the Heike (Taira) warriors.

The Hoichi Hall commemorates the famous ghost story 'Mimi-nashi Hoichi' (Hoichi the Earless), set at this very location. The shrine also offers beautiful views of the Kanmon Strait.

The Sentei-sai Festival, held from April 23-25, is the shrine's grand festival. The highlight is the elaborate Jorosen procession, where women dressed as court ladies of the Heian period walk through the streets of Shimonoseki, recreating the tragic journey of the Taira court. This colorful procession is one of the most visually stunning historical festivals in western Japan.