Blessings to increase stock prices and popularity
According to shrine legend, Kabu-shima Shrine was originally dedicated to Enoshima Benten in 1269.
The shrine has been worshipped as "Kabu-shima no Benten-sama" (Benten of Kabu-shima).
Since "Kabu" in Kabu-shima means "turnip" and "stock" in Japanese, the shrine is said to bring good fortune to increase the stock price and popularity of the shrine.
Kabushima
Originally a completely isolated island, it was reclaimed by the former Japanese military in 1942 and connected to land.
It is designated as a national natural monument as a breeding ground for petrels.
Sea cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
This is the only place in Japan where the breeding of petrels can be observed up close.
The petrel is a bird that signals fishing grounds and has been cherished as a messenger of Benten-sama, the goddess of the sea.
For this reason, the entire island is a large breeding ground for petrels, even though it is located near people's homes.
The number of birds reaches as high as 30,000 to 40,000, and the island is covered with them.
They arrive every year from late February to mid-April, nesting and laying eggs around May, when the rape blossoms are in full bloom.
The chicks hatch in June and leave the island in July and August.
The Kabushima Resting Area and Kabujima Promenade Park are located nearby, where you can watch the petrels through large windows.