Niukanshofu-jinja Shrine

Dedicated to the kami Niutsuhime-no-mikoto, this ancient shrine serves as the guardian deity of Mount Koya and protector of the sacred Buddhist monastery complex established by Kobo Daishi. The shrine represents a rare example of shinbutsu-shugo (the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism), where the Shinto deity was believed to have granted permission for the Buddhist temple's construction on the mountain. Pilgrims and visitors come here seeking blessings for safe passage on the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes and to honor the unique spiritual harmony between Japan's indigenous and imported religious traditions.