Atsuta Jingu

Atsuta is second only to Ise among Shinto shrines in traditional standing, and the reason is what it holds: Kusanagi no Tsurugi, one of the three imperial regalia, a sword that by tradition was found in the tail of a slain serpent and has been enshrined here since the first century. It is not displayed - not to visitors, not to priests, not to the emperor - and its existence is a matter of tradition rather than inspection, which the shrine does not dispute. What you see instead is the grounds: about twenty hectares of dense wood inside a city, with camphor trees of great age, one said to be over a thousand years old and planted by Kobo Daishi. Around seventy festivals a year are held. The treasure hall keeps swords, masks and documents, and there is a well-known kishimen noodle stand inside the grounds.

What you actually see

• A hidden sword - one of the three imperial regalia, shown to nobody.
• Twenty hectares of wood - dense forest inside Nagoya, with very old camphor.
• A thousand-year tree - the great camphor attributed to Kobo Daishi.
• The treasure hall - swords, masks and documents, on a separate ticket.

When to go

All year; June for the Atsuta Festival. Two hours.

Honest expectations

The regalia is not visible and never will be - the visit is the grounds and the atmosphere. The main hall is a post-war rebuilding in the Ise style. New Year brings very large crowds. Explanatory signage in English is limited.

Nearby

Nagoya Castle is north; the port and aquarium are south.