A Quiet Corner of Purification: Visiting the Goddesses at Haraedo Shrine at Kasuga Taisha Shrine

Tucked just by the Second Torii gate at Kasuga Taisha lies the serene Haraedo Shrine, a lesser-known but spiritually rich spot that offers visitors a moment of reflection before they approach Nara’s most famous grand shrine complex. It is said to have been founded in the year 770 (the late Nara period), and we know from records that this small shrine was a place of worship at the beginning of the 11th century.

Haraedo Shrine is dedicated to Seoritsuhime-no-Kami, a goddess of purification and one of the four Haraedo no Ōkami. She is revered as a guardian who washes away both known and unseen sins, offering visitors a chance to spiritually cleanse themselves before approaching the sacred halls of Kasuga Taisha.

Throughout the year, this shrine plays a significant role in ritual life and June 30 marks the Nagoshi no Ōharae-shiki, or Summer Great Purification Rite, a midyear cleansing to protect against illness and misfortune during the hot and humid months ahead.

The rituals here are simple yet profound. During the summer ceremony, visitors pass through a large circular ring woven from chigaya grass (called a chinowa), believed to purify all who walk through it. The act is symbolic of stepping into renewed clarity and health.

Seoritsuhime-no-Kami is intimately connected with water – rivers, waterfalls, and the sea – and is thought to carry away impurities with their flow. She is sometimes identified with other goddesses such as Benzaiten and Ichikishimahime, reflecting the interwoven nature of Japan’s divine myths.

A stop at Haraedo Shrine offers more than just a cultural visit. It’s an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and lighten one’s spirit. For those walking the grounds of Kasuga Taisha, it’s well worth the moment of quietude it provides, and June 30th is a particularly special time to visit and take part in a ritual.