Asasawa Shrine

Sumiyoshi is known for hatsu-tatsu mairi, the visit made on the first Day of the Dragon of each month. Worshipping on that day is believed to bring still greater strength and protection, and many people come from far away to pray for their business to grow. The custom is to visit four shrines in turn: Tanekashisha, Kunkunsha, Asasawa Shrine and Ootoshisha. This area has long had many ponds and marshes and was celebrated in the Man'yoshu as a place to see kakitsubata irises. In 1997 a kakitsubata garden recalling those days was brought back. The willow that still stands here is an old tree, but its branches spread vigorously, and it has a toughness that seems to keep giving energy to those who look at it.

Translated from the Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City tourist listings (観光施設一覧, CC BY 4.0).