Isonokamifutsunomitama jinja

Surrounded by mountains, the Ishikami Futsu-no-mitama Shrine, the Ichinomiya of Bizen Province, is located in Akaiwa City, Okayama Prefecture.
It is said that the shrine was founded to enshrine the sword used by Susanoo-no-Mikoto when he slew the eight-headed dragon Yamata-no-Orochi.
During Emperor Sujin's reign, this sword was reportedly transferred to the Isonokami Shrine in Nara Prefecture, and before the Meiji period, the sword itself was worshipped as the deity.

The torii is a stone Myojin torii.
From here, a narrow approach path continues for several hundred meters, gradually becoming steeper.
The mountain path is so narrow that two cars cannot pass each other, and the steep path leads to the worship hall.

At the mountain's summit behind the shrine is a rock formation believed to be the shrine's original sacred site.
Nowadays, only a small shrine remains, but in the past, it housed a Kagura hall and worship hall.
These buildings were destroyed in a major fire during the Meiji period, but the site has been preserved and maintained as an ancient relic.