Awashima shrine - enough to give you nightmares

The day we went to Tomogashima shrine, we also went to Awashima shrine. We had to wait to buy tickets for the boat so we wandered down to the shrine then hung out until the tickets went on sale.

I'll show you the nice photos first...

Ebi-kun looking very grown up! Where did my little boy go?

I think he is looking more like daddy these days too (daddy has been watching America's Next Top Model and picking up modelling tips, can you tell? lol)

Lots of these birds around too, I think they are kites but don't quote me on that! It was fun just watching them hunt.

OK, now down to the shrine, Awashima-jinja is apparently famous for it's girls day ritual of floating dolls on the seas for the girls day festival (March 3rd). Just outside the shrine there are some little store selling fresh fish and seafood, if you are into that, I will give it a pass...

The shrine is full of dolls and they are all grouped together, it is pretty darn spooky and would be a great setting for a horror movie.

On one side were these dolls and the other side had geisha dolls... I can imagine them all coming to life...

There was an area where all the Japanese gods were hanging out, some of these are happy looking fellas so not quite as spooky.

My mom, who hates cats, would be freaking at this little lot...

The tanuki I found quite amusing, I think because they have such a fun expression. In Japanese mythology, tanuki (raccoon dogs) are shape shifters and they have large testicles, I'm not sure if the two ideas are linked! There is a great Studio Ghibli film called Pom Poko which I highly recommend, all about the tanuki fighting against the humans who are destroying their habitat.

The shrine is also for 'women's troubles' so women who have fertility or other internal issues go to pray there. It's a 10 minute walk from the port where you catch the boat for Tomogashima and there is a bit more info about it Awashima-jinja here.