Yasaka Shrine (Fujisawa)

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As the name Yasaka indicates, it is an offshoot of Yasaka Jinja Shrine in Kyoto and the object of worship is Susano-o, a Japanese mythological god. At the time Yasaka Shrine was founded in the ninth century, however, it was called "Gion-sha", and was built to stave off epidemics in Kyoto. The epidemics were believed to have been brought by the curse of Gozu-ten'no, or Gosirsa-devaraja in Skt., which, according to Buddhist teachings, resides in Gion Shoja (Jetavanavihara in Skt. An ancient temple in India erected for Sakyamuni) as a guardian deity. After Yasaka Shrine was built to appease the curse of Gozu-Ten'no, the epidemic then in prevalent in Kyoto was crushed out. From then onward, people in Kyoto began to venerate the god.

Later, merging of Buddhism with Shinto elements was seen between Gozu-ten'no and Susano-o because of their similarity in divine characters. In other words, Gozu-ten'no was thought to be a vicar of Susano-o. Thereby, it was employed as the main object of worship in Yasaka Shrine and its offshoots as well.

The Shrine holds the grand festival on the Fourteenth of July (Quatorze Juillet!) every year. Mikoshi , or portable shrines parade in the sea to Koyurugi Jinja.