Atsuta is one of the three or four most sacred Shinto sites in Japan, ranking just behind Ise and Izumo. The shrine claims a 1,900-year history and is dedicated to Atsuta-no-Okami, the deity that resides in the legendary Kusanagi sword. The grounds — about 200,000 square metres of camphor forest in the south of the city — feel a world away from the surrounding traffic. A 1,000-year-old camphor tree, planted by Kobo Daishi according to tradition, stands near the main path.
The main buildings are unpainted cypress in the simple shin-mei style of Ise, rebuilt about every twenty years by tradition. The shrine's treasure house holds over 6,000 artefacts including swords, masks and ancient documents — a small but excellent selection is on display in rotation. Best visited early morning or late afternoon. Nearby Hourai-ken serves the city's most famous hitsumabushi (grilled eel over rice) and has done since 1873.