Tokei Shrine, said to have been founded in 419, is the guardian shrine of Tanabe. Legend holds that the Kumano abbot Tanzo, father of Benkei, decided the allegiance of the Kumano navy at the Battle of Dan-no-ura here by pitting white and red cocks, with the white victory leading him to side with the Minamoto. A UNESCO World Heritage component.

Tokei Shrine is traditionally said to have been founded in 419 CE, during the reign of Emperor Ingyo, and has long served as the guardian shrine of Tanabe. Formerly known as Tokei Gongen, it was closely associated with the religious culture of the Kumano Sanzan pilgrimage network. In the late Heian …