Kanagawa’s Samukawa Shrine

Backyard Tourism Vol. 8

Welcome back to yet another installment of Backyard Tourism. Like all previous articles in this ever-popular series, we’ll be examining an often overlooked part of Japan that many would never consider to have potential for foreign travels. Given the country has a neigh infinite number of allures, my goal with Backyard Tourism is never to say that you absolutely must check these spots out on your next visit. Simply put, there are just too many top tier destinations out there that are more deserving of your time. Instead of recommending these spots to overseas guests, I want to illustrate how any location in Japan holds potential when its story is properly told.

On that note, this week we will be taking a look at Kanagawa Prefecture’s Samukawa Shrine. Literally meaning “Cold River Shrine,” this hidden gem rarely if ever pops up on the radars of foreign travelers. In fact, it was only recently that I happened upon the likes of Samukawa Shrine. After scaling the sacred peak of Mt. Oyama, I had been haphazardly searching Google Maps for nearby sites when I stumbled upon text reading, “serene 1,600 year-old Shinto shrine.” My interest having been thoroughly piqued by my finding, I’ve been itching to cross Samukawa Shrine off of my bucket list ever since.