A Dream That Exists in Reality: Reliving an 800-Year-Old Vision
I often experience lucid dreams—dreams so vivid and clear they feel more real than my waking life. In one such dream, I was standing in a space filled with an intense, blinding light. A train conductor approached me and handed me a large, substantial wooden talisman (Ofuda).
It was impressively thick and heavy, with "Shibusawa Shrine" (渋沢神社) written in bold, powerful calligraphy. He looked at me with a sense of urgency and said:
"Please deliver this."
Following the Intuition
I had never heard of this shrine before. But the moment I woke up, the physical weight of that talisman felt as if it were still in my hands. I knew this wasn't just a dream; it was an assignment. I immediately adjusted my schedule, cleared my time, and followed my intuition to board a train toward Hadano—a place I had never visited in my life.
The Labyrinth and the Desolate Hill
Even with GPS, the journey was strangely difficult. I found myself wandering through quiet residential streets, going in circles as if I were stuck in a loop. After much struggle, I finally found the shrine perched on a small hill.
To be honest, the shrine felt "desolate." It wasn't completely neglected—it was kept up with the bare minimum of care—but it felt profoundly lonely, as if it were a place where time had stopped. I felt that the spiritual energy there had become stagnant, waiting for a fresh breeze to blow through.
The Sacred Record: Synchronization with 800 Years of History
As I read the shrine's history on the weathered sign, a chill went down my spine. The origin story matched my dream perfectly. It turned out that the shrine was established because of a "divine dream" exactly like mine.
由緒 当社は建保６年１１月、鎌倉鶴岡八幡宮の若宮を当地に勧請し、氏神とした。古神札（棟札）に「河村菊千代殿代官稲毛越前守拝御百姓中之請助成奉造立一顆弘３歳己」、別の棟札に造営祈願文と元亀４癸酉年を蔵し、天正１９年、御朱印１石５斗を賜う。天明の頃、御嶽社より須佐之男之命を勧請した。明治６年、渋沢神社と改称し、平成元年４月、本殿、幣殿、拝殿を新築し正面石段及び境内石垣を整備し、更に狛犬等奉納され一新した。
History: This shrine was founded in November 1218 (Kenpo 6) when the deity of Wakamiya from Kamakura's Tsurugaoka Hachimangu was invited to this location to become the local guardian deity. Historical ridgepoles (Munafuda) preserve records from the Tensho era (1591) and the Genki era (1573). During the Tenmei era, Susanoo-no-Mikoto was invited from Mitake Shrine. In 1873, it was renamed Shibusawa Shrine. In April 1989, the main hall and other structures were rebuilt, and the grounds were renovated.
At that time, I was frequently visiting Kamakura as a part of my routine. I had been carrying that specific energy within me without even realizing it. The dream, the heavy talisman, and the 800-year-old history—everything was perfectly synchronized.
My Conviction: It Was Susanoo
Among the deities listed, one name resonated with me with overwhelming power: Susanoo-no-Mikoto.
The raw, powerful, and slightly "wild" energy I felt within the grounds—the force that led me through a labyrinth on the way there, only to open a straight path on the way back—was unmistakably the essence of Susanoo. He is a god of storms, a hero, and a deity who knows the depth of loneliness. I have a profound conviction that he was the one who was watching over me.
The Straight Path Home
The most mysterious part was the walk back. The labyrinth that had confused me on the way there had completely vanished. From the shrine down to the station, there was one perfectly straight path.
As I walked away, I felt an intense gaze from behind. It wasn't a scary feeling; it was a protective, grateful presence. It felt as though Susanoo was standing at the top of the hill, watching my back until I safely reached the station.
"We see you. You did well."
Those words echoed in my heart. I was just a messenger, but that straight path home told me everything I needed to know. My journey had reached its destination, and the energy was finally flowing again.