About Kego Shrine
Located in Tenjin in the heart of Fukuoka’s business district, the shrine has a history dating back over 400 years.
Kego Shrine and the kami of protection and good fortune
Once upon a time,
Izanagi-no-Mikoto, the kami who played a central role in the creation of Japan’s land,
escaped from Yomi-no-Kuni (the underworld) where his wife Izanami-no-Mikoto resided,
and performed a purification ritual to cleanse himself of the impurities of Yomi-no-Kuni.
The three Kego kami were born at this time.
Yasomagatsuhi-no-Kami is the kami who governs over disasters and wards off evil for us.
Kannaobi-no-Kami and Onaobi-no-Kami bestow good fortune upon us and guide us in the right direction.
The three kami together ward off evil and guide toward good fortune in the land of Fukuoka.
When we are troubled, confused, or stuck, when we pray for the safety of a loved one,
or when misfortunes befall us one after another, these three kami give us a strong push forward.
Kego Shrine enshrines the kami who protect you and your loved ones
and guide you toward good fortune.
Enshrined kami
- Yasomagatsuhi-no-Kami
- This kami was born when Izanagi-no-Mikoto returned from Yomi-no-Kuni (the underworld)
and cleansed himself of the impurities of Yomi-no-Kuni.
He is the kami who governs over disasters and protects us from misfortune. - Kannaobi-no-Kami
- Onaobi-no-Kami
- These kami bestow good fortune upon us and guide us in a better direction.
Co-enshrined kami
- Taketsunumi-no-Mikoto
- Jingukogo
- Toyotamahime-no-Mikoto
- Ojintenno
Gokito for Warding Off Evil and Guiding Toward Good Fortune
The three kami enshrined at Kego Shrine have been well known to ward off evil and guide us
toward good fortune since ancient times.
The divine blessings of the three kami not only protect us from disasters and misfortune
but also guide us in a better direction toward good fortune.
This is a time-honored gokito (prayer ritual) that bestows on us the twin blessings of warding off evil
and guiding toward good fortune.
Shrine history
Tenjin is in the heart of Fukuoka’s business district.
The shrine, with over 400 years of history, is protected by a large camphor tree over 300 years old situated
among the greenery that stretches alongside a park.
In 1601, as Kuroda Nagamasa, the founder of the domain, was building Fukuoka Castle,
the shrine was temporarily co-enshrined with Kogarasu Shrine.
In 1608, a new shrine was built, and the old shrine was moved to its current location.
In 1916, it was designated a prefectural shrine (under the previous system current before 1946)
and is now known as Kego Shrine, a religious corporation.
Shrine crest
Derived from the kanji character for solid (固),
the Kego Shrine crest represents guardian kami that protect us and guide us
toward good fortune, based on the kami’s origins.
The dot in the center represents you, your family, your partner, and your friends.
The Crest of Warding Off Evil and Guiding Toward Good Fortune
The Crest of Warding Off Evil and Guiding Toward Good Fortune is in a square shape
to symbolize protection from impurities and calamities.
This is a prayer crest that protects us from evil and bestows upon us good fortune.
It is imbued with the wish that we receive the divine blessings of the three Kego kami.
