On my way out of Yukuhashi, heading towards the coast, I stopped in at a small local shrine whose entrance beckoned me.
Shrines are great stopping places on walks.... a quiet space away from traffic, and often with something to see in terms of statuary, carvings etc.
This one is a Kasuga Shrine, a branch of the famous Kasuga Taisha up in Nara, and therefore enshrining the same gods.
It has obviously been rebuilt quite recently. One thing I am always on the lookout for at shrines are the komainu, as their designs are quite varied. This shrine had quite nice elephant carvings.