Namba Yasaka Shrine

Namba Yasaka Shrine is one of the most notably unique shrines you will find in Japan, characterized by a giant lion-head stage building that greets visitors. This stage building is a unique piece of architecture, and certainly stands out in the commercialized Namba district of Osaka. 

The distinctive lion-head stage building was built in 1975, and is twelve meters high by seven meters deep. The impressive lion-head shape of this shrine is said to swallow demons and evil spirts, while bringing good luck to visitors. Like many shrines in Japan, many school students and university students will visit the shrine in the days leading up to big exams. 

The shrine becomes very lively during the spring, as numerous cherry blossom trees are scattered around the grounds. This is a quaint, yet reasonably popular cherry blossom viewing area, often by locals in the nearby shops and offices, who see the shrine visit as a small peaceful retreat for a few minutes in between work. 

On the 3rd Sunday of January each year, the shrine hosts the annual festival, during which, a large tug-of-war competition is hosted. The Tug-of-war competition is a celebration of the God Susano-ono-Mikoto, who was said to free to Japanese people from hardship by killing the serpent god Yamato-no-orochi.