Japan | Kumamoto | Hie Tate Shrine
📍Address
〒861-3513 Kumamoto Prefecture, Kamimashiki District, Yamato Town, Ono 712
👉 Hie Tate Shrine (also known as "Hie Tate Jinja") is located in Yamato Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu. It is a spiritual ancient shrine with over 15,000 years of legendary history and is considered one of "Japan's Five Hidden Shrines."
⸻
🕒 Opening Hours
Open year-round, free visiting hours: All day
• No admission fee, free to visit and take photos
• Recommended to visit during the daytime; the afternoon sunlight filtering through the cedar forest enhances the sacred atmosphere
⸻
🚍 Transportation
⚠️ The shrine is located in the mountains, making transportation less convenient. Driving or hiring a car is recommended.
✅ Option 1: From Kumamoto City (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes by car)
1. 🚗 Driving/Hiring a car (most recommended)
• Depart from Kumamoto City or Kumamoto Airport, take Route 445 → head towards Yamato Town → parking is available near the shrine
• Can be combined with a one-day car tour to Takachiho/Aso
2. 🚌 Bus + walking transfer (limited schedules, challenging)
• Transfer from "Takamori Station" or "Tsujun Bridge" station to Yamato Town buses
• It is recommended to check the latest schedules on Yamato Town's tourism website or inquire if local accommodations offer shuttle services
⸻
✅ Reasons to Visit
• Believed to be one of Japan's oldest shrines, dedicated to "Ame-no-Minakanushi-no-Kami" and the Five-Colored People Gods, rare deities of "creation of heaven and earth"
• Surrounded by thousand-year-old cedar forests, the tranquil atmosphere is praised as "one of Kyushu's most powerful spiritual sites"
• Said to be the ancient center of "unity of worship and governance" and "world peace prayers," with mysterious connections to foreign sacred sites (e.g., Mayan culture, Egyptian pyramids)
• Hosts the "World Peace Prayer Festival" annually in late August, attracting spiritual practitioners worldwide
• Feels like entering a forest of spiritual energy, ideal for soul travel, energy replenishment, meditation, and leisurely walks
⸻
📌 Suggested Itinerary
Recommended to combine "Hie Tate Shrine + Southern Kumamoto Spiritual & Nature Tour":
1. Tsujun Bridge (approximately 20 minutes by car)
• Edo-period stone aqueduct bridge, designated as an important cultural property, most beautiful in spring and autumn
2. Gokanosho Falls (approximately 25 minutes by car)
• A waterfall about 50 meters high, view its majestic flow from a suspension bridge, an extension of the shrine's energy
3. Takachiho Gorge (extended itinerary, about 1.5 hours by car)
• Spiritual site in Miyazaki, row a boat through the rocky valley and experience Japan's mythical world
4. Kumamoto City/Aso area as a return base
• Arrange accommodations at Aso hot springs, Kusasenri, or Kumamoto City hot spring hotels for a relaxing end to the trip