“Is that a tiger’s head on that statue?” our visitor whispers, pointing to the Inari Shrine. You are absolutely right. While not a tiger exactly, this creature does have the head of a deer, the body of a boar, and the paws of a tiger. This curious being guards the Nuedaimyojin Shrine. Built in 1929, the Nuedaimyojin Shrine honors a mythical beast with a rather intriguing history. Legend tells us that the fearsome warrior Minamoto no Yorimasa shot the Nue down with a special arrow. Imagine the scene: a dark night, the emperor’s palace cloaked in shadows. The air is thick with fear and the sound of flapping wings. The Nue, a monstrous chimera, terrorizes the city with its eerie cries. Yorimasa, armed with his bow and courage, faces the beast. It is said that he washed his arrow in the very pond we see here before the fateful encounter, purifying it for the task. Though small, this shrine and its unique guardian remind us of the enduring power of ancient legends and the bravery of those who dare to face the unknown.
御劔大明神
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