Futenma shrine

I don't remember which computer the pictures we took the first time we went are on, I thought we posted before about it too... but I can't find it. We went on a tour this week to several sacred sites and the first stop was Futenma Shinto shrine. Its a prayer site complete with priests, priestesses, good luck talismans for sale, fortunes, walls to write good luck wishes, and an area to tie bad fortunes. All of this is in the other pictures we took. Several of the things I talk of can be seen here...


http://www.okinawa.usmc.mil/public%20affairs%20info/archive%20news%20pages/2006/060505-shrine.html


This particular location for a Shinto 'temple' was chosen because of a story about a woman, some 1000 years ago, who was very beautiful and received too much attention for her likes, her sister tried to let a man view her in secret, but she saw and fled. She ran a long way, finally running into the cave and she never came out again. Here is a drum offering with a painting of the woman as a goddess.

You need permission to unlock the gates to the caves.

Here is one of the 'lucky' rock formations to pray at, I'm not sure what this particular one is for, but at the entrance to the cave on either side are two that compliment eachother which people pray at for fertility.


Here is the main shrine inside the cave.