Japan's Emperor Akihito will visit a shrine related to an ancient Korean kingdom this week, the website of the shrine showed Tuesday.
The emperor and Empress Michiko will visit the Koma Shrine, located in the city of Hidaka near Tokyo, on Wednesday morning, according to the website.
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This undated file photo shows the Koma Shrine in Japan. (Yonhap) |
This will mark the first time for a Japanese emperor to visit the shrine.
The shrine was founded in 716 by an emissary from Goguryeo (37B.C.–A.D.668), an ancient Korean kingdom. It is named after Koma, the first settlement area for royal refugees of Goguryeo.
The shrine, which belongs to a native religion of Japan, honors as a god a Goguryeo prince who came over to Japan about 1,300 years ago to seek shelter from political unrest back home. (Yonhap)
