Akama Shrine

shrine, Shimonoseki, Japan

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June 18, 2026

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The Akama Shrine is located in Shimonoseki, Japan. This shrine commemorates the 12th-century defeat of the Taira clan in the Battle of Dannoura, which took place near the city. Emperor Antoku, the 81st emperor of Japan, was a key figure in this battle. He was placed on the throne at age two by the Taira clan and drowned in the sea during the battle in an attempt to avoid capture. The Battle of Dannoura resulted in the loss of a great sword, one of the Three Imperial Regalia. Shimonoseki is a strategically important city on the Kanmon Strait, connecting Honshu and Kyushu islands.12

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Shimonoseki
The Akama Shrine hosts an annual festival in April commemorating the defeat at the city site of the Taira (Heike) clan in the 12th century. Pop. (2000) 301,097; (2010); 280,947.
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The Akama Shrine hosts an annual festival in April commemorating the defeat at the city site of the Taira (Heike) clan in the 12th century. Pop. (2000) 301,097; (2010); 280,947.
Read More