Toukei-jinja Shrine

This shrine is located in Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture and is affectionately referred to as “Gongen-san” due to it being called Tanabe Shrine after the transfer of the deity “Kumano Gongen” here. Kumano Betto Tanzo, said to be Musashibo Benkei’s father, is said to have held a cockfight in front of the main shrine in order to decide which side to support during the Genpei War. He ended up supporting Minamoto and leading the Kumano navy to victory. You’ll find statues of Tanzo and Benkei on the shrine grounds, and treasures such as the pot used to give the infant Benkei his first bath and Minamoto no Yoshitsune’s flute are kept here. Near the start of October, many visit for the “Benkei Festival.”