Suitengu Shrine (Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture) sits quietly on the banks of the Chikugo River (the largest river in Kyushu). There are branches in various locations all over Japan and even one in Hawaii but did you know that the site in Kurume, which was was erected in 1190, is the head Suitengu shrine? Ame no minakanushi no kami, Emperor Antoku, Takakura Taira no chugu, and Nii no ama are deified at the shrine. Emperor Antoku's story is closely tied to the shrine.

Antoku was born at the end of the Heian period. He became emperor at the age of three but sadly died at the age of six during the "The Battle of Dan-no-ura" (a sea battle that took place in what is now Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture). It is said that the roots of Suitengu can be traced back to when a lady-in-waiting who survived the battle began worshipping Emperor Antoku, as well as his mother Takakura Taira no chugu and grandmother Nii no ama. The god worshipped at Suitengu is the guardian deity of children. Worshippers who visit often pray to conceive a child, for a safe birth or to prevent water-related accidents. Visitors can worship quietly in the historic precincts surrounded by a majestic, serene atmosphere.