Exploring Japan - Yuzuruha Shrine in Kobe

If you're a tourist in Japan and visit the main sites in places like Kyoto you might become a little tired of the hundreds of shrines scattered around the city. There are so many that the design and styles often blend in to one, but visiting similar temples in less touristy locations is a totally different experience in Japan as these spaces are meant to be quiet and give you time to contemplate and appreciate your surroundings.

While I was travelling I walked through Yazuruha Shrine in the city of Kobe that's just outside of Mikage Station on the Hankyu line. I'm not too familiar with Kobe so every time I visit I find something new and unique worth exploring. Yuzuruha Shrine is rooted quite tightly between a number of houses that are more traditional in style, giving this location a very nice atmosphere.

One of the more interesting parts about this shrine is that there seems to be an area to give your support to the local football (soccer) team. I was kind of surprised by this as I've never seen it before, but my Japanese friend said it's quite common to find in local shrines as they want their football team to do well throughout the season and win lots of the games that they partake in. Both soccer and baseball are very popular here and have a very passionate fan base. It's interesting to see all these differences between the different cultures and the way in which society is positioned in a spiritual sense. Here are a few photos walking through the shrine and some details that I found along the way.