Isonokami jingu

Japan's Oldest Shrine
Linked to the Mononobe Clan
Isonokami Shrine is located along the "Yamanobe no Michi," an ancient road running north-south through Nara Prefecture.
Situated midway between Asuka and Nara, it is considered Japan's oldest road, and Isonokami Shrine is built at this midpoint.
Like Omiwa Shrine, which enshrines Mount Miwa as its sacred object, Isonokami Shrine is known as one of Japan's oldest shrines and as the ancestral shrine of the Mononobe clan, a prominent family during the Asuka period.

Passing through the torii gate along the approach lined with greenery, many chickens are seen roaming freely.
Some spend time on branches, while others run around. Various kinds of chickens are here, originally abandoned but now kept as divine messengers.

The corridor with red structural elements and white walls leads to a two-story gate built in the late Kamakura period, serving as the entrance to the worship hall.
Originally a bell gate, the upper structure features three tiers of brackets in the Japanese style, while the lower structure has two tiers. The carvings on the frog leg supports and the ends of the pillars are characteristic of the Tenjikuyo style.

Across the approach from the worship hall and behind the gate is the auxiliary Izumo Takeo Shrine.
While Isonokami Shrine faces south, Izumo Takeo Shrine faces west.
The worship hall is divided into two buildings with a central passage, known as a "wari-haiden" architectural style.
It is also designated as a National Treasure and is a rare style not often seen elsewhere.