Wakasa Ichinomiya (Wakasahiko Shrine and Wakasahime Shrine)

"This shrine is located at the base of Mt. Tadagadake a five-minute drive from JR Higashi-Obama Station. It is comprised of Wakasahiko Shrine, the upper shrine, and Wakasahime Shrine, the lower shrine. Together, they are called the Jogegu (upper and lower shrines) or Wakasa Ichinomiya, which means the most important shrine of Wakasa. The ancient and high-ranking shrine was even listed as a Myojin Taisha shrine in the Engishiki, a Heian period book of laws and customs. The Wakasahime Shrine is said to grant prayers for the gift of children and safe childbirth. Its grounds include a pair of ying-yang stones called ""Kodaneishi"" for their resemblance to genitalia, a ginkgo tree called ""Chichigami-sama,"" as well a 1000-year-old cedar tree. The approach to the shrine, which is lined by thick groves of trees, has a solemn atmosphere that feels detached from daily life."