The wife of Chuai (the 14th Emperor of Japan), Empress Jingu, came here sometime during the legendary military invasion of Korea in the 3rd century. She had Mekari Shrine built as a way of giving thanks to the gods to whom she was indebtted.
Mekari means “cutting seaweed” in Japanese. Every lunar New Year’s Day, the Mekari Ceremony takes place, in which three priests (each holding either a torch, a pail, or a gardening blade) enter the ocean to cut seaweed and offer it to the shrine.

*About the Shrine: Municipal Intangible Cultural Asset (Mekari Shrine rituals); Municipal Tangible Cultural Asset (nine ancient texts). Generally not open to the public; occasionally opened for the purposes of research or inspection. Built in 149 AD. Area of Grounds - 6,612 square meters (71,166 square feet)
*Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible bathrooms near the shrine; guide dogs permitted.