Watazumi Shrine, also known as Watatsumi Shrine is a shinto shrine in Tsushima, Nagasaki. [1]
It is a major tourist destination for tourists from South Korea. [2] [3] [4] [5]
It has a famous row of five torii in a row with two in the ocean similar to Itsukushima Shrine. [1]
In January 2020 they banned foreigners due to behavioral issues by South Korean guests. [2] [3] [4] [5]
In 2020 it was damaged by a typhoon and Ghost of Tsushima fans helped raise money to repair it. [6] [7] [8] [9]
Tourist issues
In January 2020 they banned foreigners due to behavioral issues by South Korean guests. [2] The ban was due to vandalism, thefts, and a threat against the head priest. [2]
Complaints included picnics at the shrine, a YouTuber filming there without permission, tour guides disrespecting sacred areas, and Korean graffiti. Some amulets were stolen. A Korean tour guide threatened the priest's life. [2]
This ban substantially reduced the amount of Korean tourists who visited Tsushima. [2]
Typhoon destruction
A typhoon damaged the Torii gate at Watatsumi Shrine in Tsushima, Japan. This happened in September 2020. [7] [10] A crowdfunding campaign started on November 27, 2020 on the Japanese website Camp-Fire. [7] It aimed to repair the gate. [10] [8] [7]
The campaign reached its initial goal quickly. This goal was 5 million yen. It was reached by December 1, 2020. The campaign ended on January 10, 2021. It raised 27,103,882 yen. This is about $260,435. Many donors were fans of the " Ghost of Tsushima" game. [10]
The restoration was planned to start in April 2021,, and to finish by August 2021. There were plans for a stone monument. It would list the names of those who donated at least 10,000 yen. Concerns were raised over coronavirus affecting the construction. [10] [8]
In popular culture
In the game " Ghost of Tsushima," there is a similar shrine. It is the Scarlet Rock Shrine. The real shrine is dedicated to two deities, Hikohohodemi no Mikoto and Toyotamabime. The game's shrine is dedicated to Tsukuyomi. [6]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Tsushima: a boundary island of Japan | The Japan Times". 2013-09-28. Archived from the original on 2013-09-28. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b c d e f "Japan's Watatsumi Shrine bans foreigners after vandalism and alleged death threat against priest | South China Morning Post". 2020-01-14. Archived from the original on 2020-01-14. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b Wen, Lok Jian (2023-07-10). "Vandalism, peeling ceiling art: Japan temples suffer damage". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b "Japanese shrine bans foreign visitors following disrespectful behaviour by tourists". SoraNews24 -Japan News-. 2020-01-13. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b Alyse (2023-02-09). "Overtourism in Japan: A Victim of its Own Success?". The Invisible Tourist. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b "Ghost of Tsushima fans have helped raise $260k for repairs on the real island". VGC. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b c d "Ghost of Tsushima fans come together to help fund repair of Watatsumi Shrine gate". Destructoid. 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b c Oloman, Jordan (2021-01-11). "Ghost of Tsushima Fans Help With Real-Life Tsushima Island Repairs". IGN. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ "Kaijin Shrine Tathagata Buddha". Cultural Property Disputes Resource. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b c d "Tsushima's Watatsumi Shrine Crowdfunding Ended at Over 500%". Siliconera. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
| Main Deity |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Other Deities | ||
| Head Shrine | ||
| Sumiyoshi Shrines | ||
| Watatsumi Shrines | ||
| Misc | ||