Showing posts with label sutra mound. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sutra mound. Show all posts

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Niigusohimenomikoto Shrine

Niigusohimenomikoto Shrine


This shrine is on the main road not far from Mononobe Shrine and appears to be just a small local shrine, but is in fact one of the oldest shrines in the Iwami region, founded in 731.


It is also listed in the Engi Shiki, which means it received offerings from the government in Kyoto. The kami is Niigusohime, and is considered to be a kami of the 5 grains and farming. Strangely she is also associated with cheese! A kind of cheese from Mongolia was introduced in 650. probably via Korea. So maybe she had something to do with that.


There is a sutra mound within the grounds, not so unusual as most shrines had Buddhist elements in earlier times.


There is a small Kumano Shrine too. The shimenawa is Izumo style, big and thick.