Shrines of Day 66

 

While walking around the countryside near Sasebo in Nagasaki on the 66th day of my walk along the Kyushu pilgrimage I stopped in at any shrines that I passed. At the start of the day I visited a largish Sumiyoshi shrine in Haiki, and a little later Hasami Shrine next to Tozenji Temple. All the other shrines I visited that day were quite small and no information boards.

These first two photos are of a small Kotohira Shrine. before the Meiji period, they were probably called Konpira. There were a few more Kotohora shrines in the area. Since Meiji the main kami has been identified as a variation of Okuninushi. The main Kotohira Shrine is on Shikoku and was a major pilgrimage destination in its own right and was known for offering protection to seafarers.

Just 100 meters away is Srayama Daijingu Shrine. The small hokora was established in 1487. Unusual was a horse and a komainu rather than 2 komainu.

Apparently, during a famine in 1732 the local people either started to make puppets or started to perform, puppet plays.

With its large vermillion torii, and building indistinguishable from a residence, Suwa Daimyojin was a little unusual.

Sasebo Suwa Shrine was its full name but there is absolutely zero information about it. Obviously a branch of the famous Suwa Shrine in Nagano that enshrines Takeminakata, the son of Okuninushi who was "exiled " to Nagano after being defeated by the envoy of Amaterasu, Takemikazuchi.

The final shrine was Uenomiya Shrine at the base of a hill that once had a small castle on top.

The previous post was on the longest straight shopping arcade in Japan.

Hasami Shrine

 

Hasami Shrine is located in its namesake, Hasami, so is probably considered the ujigami of the area.

It is located adjacent to Tozenji Temple where I was heading to, which suggests that in the past the shrine and temple were the same institution.

The shrine records say that it was established about 650 years ago, but the temple claims a much older history.

The kami enshrined here are listed as Amaterasu and Susano. A little unusual as they would often be found as a triad with Tsukiyomi, but not here.

The previous post was on Sumiyoshi Shrine in Haiki.

Sumiyoshi Shrine Haiki

 

This Sumiyoshi Shrine is close to the edge of the water in Haiki near Sasebo, Nagasaki.

About 2 kilometers away, a bit inland, is another Sumiyoshi Shrine that is said to be the origin of this one. A mikoshi is carried between the two shrines during festivals.

It is not a particularly big shrine but seems to be very popular in the area.

Sumiyoshi shrines enshrine the Sumiyoshi Sanjin, the three kami of Sokotsutsu no o no mikoto, Nakatsutsu no o no mikoto, and Uwatsutsu no o no mikoto. Three "brothers" noted for their protection of seafarers.

The main Sumiyoshi Shrine is in Osaka, but it was originally a north Kyushu cult taken to central jaan by Jingu who is also enshrined in Sumiyoshi Shrines now.

The oldest shrine to the Sumiyoshi Sanjin can be found in nearby Hakata in Fukuoka, and also on the Iki Islands which suggests a connection to travel between the Korean peninsula and northern Kyushu, which also explains the Jingu commection.

I was visiting not long after sunrise on Saturday, March 8th, 2014 at the start of my 66th day walking around Kyushu.

The previous post was on the nearby Haiki Strait.

Kashima Shrine Minabe

 

I came into Minabe at the end of a rainy fifth day of my walk. I was on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, claimed to be the oldest of the major pilgrimage circuits of Japan. For this first week, the route also followed the Kumano Kodo, though in reverse. This was the Kiiji section which runs from Tanabe up to Osaka and Kyoto.

The main shrine was a Kashima Shrine, with numerous secondary shrines and a small Inari shrine at the entrance.

According to te shrine history it is a branch of the famous Kashima Shrine up country, brought here in the early Nara Period.

However, it was located on a tiny uninhabited island just offshore and was known as Kashima Myojin.

During the Meiji Period, possibly 1909, the kami was transferred to the land and the shrine built, which explains the somewhat "meiji" feel of the shrine.

The main kami is Takemikazuchi, although Amaterasu and Susano are also listed. That may be a Meiji addition.

In the grounds are a Tenjin, Ebisu, another Inari, and a couple of other shrines.

The previous post in this series was Kozanji Temple in Tanabe.

Mimasaka Soja Shrine

 

Soja shrines were often established close to government headquarters in ancient Japan as one of the governor's duties was to offer prayers at all the shrines in his district.

For convenience, all the kami from the outlying shrines were gathered together in one place hence making the officials jobs much easier. Such was the case of this shrine in Tsuyama.

According to the shrine history, it was established first further to the west and enshrined Okuninushi. A year later when the Kokufu was established the shrine was moved here and the kami from all 65 village shrines in Mimasaka were brought here.

After the Kokufu became replaced by warrior rule the local warlords continued to support the shrine with grants of land.

The current main building was built by Motonari Mori in 1562 and it was extensively repaired in the mid 17th century.

The shrine is built in the Nakayama-zukuri style, unique to this area. In the early 20th century it was made a National Treasure but has since been downgraded to an Important Cultural Property.

The previous post in this series on the fifth day of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage was on the nearby Nakayama Shrine, the ichinomiya of the province.