Kaijin Shrine

Kaijin Shrine (海神神社), also read as Watatsumi Shrine, is a significant Shinto shrine located on Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is classified as a Beppyō shrine, denoting that it is remarkable and holds significant historical importance. Kaijin Shrine is also ranked as Ichinomiya, which means it was tne highest-ranked shrine in its province. It is located near Mount Izu.

In Tsushima folklore it is said that Toyotama-hime and Hikohohodemi no Mikoto married at this shrine, and it is thus the sea god's palace.

Empress Jingu visited the area to worship at Mount Izu.

The shrine has a prominent set of Torii that are often compared to Itsukushima Shrine in how they enter water. Recent archaeological findings suggest it is one of the oldest shrines in Japan, and Itsukushima Shrine was based on it.

The shrine is associated with Kamikaze, the typhoon that stopped the Mongol invasion of Japan.

It has a Bronze Buddha statue from Korea in it. The statue is designated as important cultural property.

In 2012 a robber stole a Silla era Buddha statue from the shrine, on the same day they stole another statue from Kannon-ji but in 2015 it was returned.

Kaijin Shrine should not be confused with Watatsumi Shrine, which has a very similar Japanese name (海神社) to Kaijin Shrine (海神神社) and is located in Kobe