A sacred wand entrusting prayers to Yatagarasu Okami
Abe Oji Shrine in Abeno Ward, Osaka City, is the only remaining former site of the 99 Kumano Oji shrines in Osaka Prefecture, and since the Heian period, it has attracted faith as an important base for pilgrimages to Kumano. The enshrined deities are Kumano Okami and Emperor Ojin, and their divine messenger, the Yatagarasu, is also deeply revered as Yatagarasu Okami.
The "Okaresu Gohei" given at this shrine is a special gohei shaped like a Yatagarasu, on which worshippers write their wishes and offer them in front of the shrine. It is believed that Yatagarasu Okami will deliver wishes to the Kumano Sanzan, and that prayers will be conveyed to Kumano through this gohei.
He has also long been worshipped as a god for safe travels, and is said to have the power to ward off evil spirits and misfortune. For this reason, many worshippers entrust their thoughts and prayers to Kumano before taking on a turning point in their lives or taking on a new challenge.
