Aitsuchi Jinja Shrine
Aitsuchi Jinja Shrine is strongly associated with sword making, as the well beside the shrine contains water thought to be suitable for creating excellent swords. The renowned swordsmiths Gorodayu Yasutsuna and Sanjo Munechika are said to have used water from this well to forge blades in the late Heian period (794–1185). The most famous of these are Higekiri and Hizamaru, two swords that are considered treasures of the Minamoto clan, which produced many heroic warriors throughout history. According to shrine legend, Inari, a deity of commerce and agriculture, appeared to help Gorodayu Yasutsuna forge the blades.
Sometime after the swords were successfully completed, Aitsuchi Shrine was founded next to the well to worship Inari. The well was paved with stone in the Edo period (1603–1867), and a reference to the swordsmith Sanjo Munechika was added to the shrine nameplate at an unknown date. Aitsuchi Shrine was managed by Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine until 1710, but belief in its blessings was so strong that people in the neighborhood raised money to care for the shrine independently.
The mountain behind Aitsuchi Shrine is Mt. Otokoyama, and the path that starts beside the shrine leads up to Iwashimizu Hachimangu.