Still at the shrine

 This is a place to purify yourself before participating in any activity related to the shrine. Purification is very important in Shinto and shrines, except very small ones, always have a place with water.

 I think this stele may honor war dead but I was not sure. The characters were clear but there were enough that I did not know that I could not be sure I understood.

As I left the shrine grounds and start toward my next goal, a temple, I realized that I could see the Shinkansen tracks in the hills in the background. The two red arrows are for bicyclists and pedestrians. There are no lights in the area so at night it would be easy to end up in the middle of the rice paddy.