A shrine in the heart of Sagano\'s bamboo grove, standing on the site of the ancient Nonomiya purification retreat used by imperial Saio priestesses before their pilgrimage to Ise. The shrine is a literary landmark featured in the \'Sakaki\' chapter of The Tale of Genji. The black-bark torii gate is Japan\'s oldest style of torii. Rubbing the turtle stone is said to grant a wish within one year.
Origins
The origins of Nonomiya Shrine trace back to the early Heian period. In 810 (Kōnin 1), during the reign of Emperor Saga, a sacred purification retreat called 'Nonomiya' is said to have been established in Saga as the site where imperial Saio priestesses underwent ritual cleansing before their pilgri…