Tsubaki Dai Jinja at Knapp Island

Last Saturday was a momentous day here! Guji Yukiyasu Yamamoto (97th High Priest) conducted the solemn ceremony of Senza Sai to install the kamisama in Tsubaki Dai Jinja at Knapp Island.

This shrine is imbued with a rich history.  In 1987, Guji Yukiyasu Yamamoto arrived in Stockton, California as the first priest of Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America. He installed this shrine as the first Shinto shrine of North America, a vision of his father Sendai Guji Yukitaka Yamamoto.

Thus, Guji-san’s ceremony this past weekend was a deep connection to his past history with this magnificent shrine.

Tsubaki Dai Jinja is now the Honden (main shrine) for the Centre’s Haiden (Prayer Hall). The raised spiritual energy is palpable and powerful. We welcome you to visit and offer your prayers to the kamisama.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Guji Yamamoto, Gon Guji Shiba, and to Rev. Ochiai for traveling so far to carry out this  ritual of purification and sanctification. And, many thanks to the volunteers and participants who witnessed and supported this sacred transfer of the kamisama.

Additionally, we have now relocated Shin Mei Jinja to the forest area near the misogi beach. Ame no Uzume no Mikoto is enshrined in Shin Mei Jinja, just across the path from her bronze statue. It is a lovely forest enclave for prayer and meditation.