Hatamonojinja Shrine

In the 5th–6th centuries, immigrants from the Chang'an region of China organized skilled sericulture and weaving communities (the Hata clan) that crossed over to settle here. Part of this group is believed to have settled at the foot of what is now Mount Kuraji, and locals came to call the shrine 'Hatamono' after the Hata-descended people who founded 'Hatamono Shrine.' A Tanabata star festival honoring the deities has been held here since ancient times, revived as an annual festival in 1979, and today it's a major event representing Katano City, drawing many visitors.