Takachiho Shrine

高千穂神社

Takachiho Shrine is the main shrine of Takachiho, a mountain town known for Japanese myths. It is said to date back about 1,900 years, and its main hall is a National Important Cultural Property. In the grounds stand tall old cedars, including the 'Meoto-sugi', two trees whose trunks have grown together. Every evening the shrine stages a one-hour show of Takachiho kagura, a traditional masked dance.

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Visitor information

Opening hours: Kagura performance: every day from 20:00 to 21:00 at the shrine's kagura hall.
Admission: Kagura viewing: 1,000 yen per person (900 yen each for groups of 20+); free up to elementary school age.
Getting there: About 3 minutes by car or 15 minutes on foot from Takachiho Bus Center; about 2 hours 10 minutes by car from Miyazaki Airport.

Hours and fees can change. Please check the official website before you go.

Good to know

Free parking for about 100 cars.
The steps up to the main hall are high, so wheelchair users will need help.

Tips for Muslim visitors

A Takachiho Kagura performance is held at the shrine daily; visitors may simply look around.
The grounds include Meoto Sugi, two Japanese cedar trees that have grown into a single trunk; visitors may simply look around.
Shinto shrines are open to everyone. Bowing, clapping and washing at the purification basin are optional; you can simply look around.
Shrines are usually busiest at New Year and during festivals. Early morning is often the calmest time to visit.
Charms, fortune slips and votive tablets are religious items. You do not need to buy or use them.
Plan your visit around prayer times. Below are today's prayer times for Miyazaki and the verified places to pray nearby.
Food stalls and shops near popular sights usually do not have halal certification. Check the ingredients, or choose from the verified places on this site.