Iwakuni Shirohebi Shrine – the sacred white snake shrine in Yamaguchi 🐍✨

After visiting Itsukushima Island, we stopped by the city of Iwakuni on our 18th day in Japan. It s approximately ~30 km away from the island.

This small but unique Shinto shrine is dedicated to white albino snakes, considered sacred here and believed to be messengers of the goddess Benzaiten. You can see real white snakes in special enclosures, and the torii and decorations follow a “snake” theme. Just nearby is the famous wooden Kintai-kyo Bridge and the hilltop Iwakuni Castle with great views over the city.

Love it! Very atmospheric.