In Osaka, the shrine is affectionately nicknamed “Sumiyossan,” with over 2 million worshippers during the three days of the New Year’s holidays.
The grand head shrine out of around 2,300 shrines located across Japan, and highest ranking in the Settsu Province. It’s old shrine ranking is designated as imperial shrine of major grade.
Founded 1,800 years ago, since ancient times this shrine has been worshipped as the God of “Maritime Safety,” and good luck in “Warding off Disasters,” “Agriculture,” ”Waka Poetry,” “War,” and “Sumo.”
The deities, in order from the first to the fourth main shrines are the “Sokotsutsu-no-Onomikoto,” the “Nakatsutsu-no-Onomikoto,” the “Uwatsutsu-no-Onomikoto,” and the “Jingukougou.”
The first three are the names of the three Shinto Gods, while the latter is the name of a legendary Japanese empress who ruled as a regent. The four main shrines are separated, with the first to third ones lined in a vertical and the fourth one being next to the third one. This unique arrangement is similar to that of a fleet of ships sailing the ocean.
This arrangement has also been said that “The three shrines advancing vertically represents overlapping fish scales, with the lone shrine to the side representing a crane opening its wings, showing a type of battle formation called the ‘Hachijin-no-Hou’.”
The shrine was built in an architectural style known as Sumiyoshi-zukuri, the oldest style used in shrine construction where the entrance is under one of the gables, and features lacquer on the pillars, rafters and verge-boards, as well as whitewash on its wainscoted walls, and strong direct lining on its cypress bark roofs. The shrine itself is registered as a national treasure.
Sumiyoshi Taisha has more than 30 auxiliary/subordinate/smaller shrines, as well as a number of festivals and rituals, including Sumiyoshi Matsuri. The grounds of the shrine are carefully preserved as a national treasure and important cultural property for their architectural and cultural value.