Japanese kami of protection11/8/2023 In April 994, Ichijo Tennou sent the Nakatomi clan as an envoy to pray for protection from plague and other misfortunes. Since then, this Jinja has been highly revered by the Imperial Court, and the Tennou has visited here on numerous occasions to pray. Also, when Jingu Kougou went to the continent to fight, the kami of this Jinja, together with the kami of Sumiyoshi Taisha, protected the safety of the land and sea routes, and acted as her spearhead or rear guard. This is the reason why this Jinja is called Moto-Kasuga. Later, in around 770, the kami was enshrined in Nara (Kasuga Taisha) via Hiraoka (Hiraoka Jinja). This Jinja is one of Myojin-Taisha in the Engishiki, which is an old Japanese book.Īfter this Jinja was rebuilt by the Fujiwara clan in the Nara period (around 760), the ancestral kami of the Fujiwara clan, Amenokoyane-Mikoto, was transferred from the present Katori Jingu in Hitachi Province, and the Jinja was built as a Subsidiary Jinja. In addition, the “ Ryou-no-syuge” which describes important shrines and shrine matters before the mid-Heian period, lists eight of Japan’s ancient Shinto shrines that were especially revered by the imperial court as Shinto shrines of high rank, indicating that Onji Jinja was one of the most important Shinto shrines in Japan during the Nara period (710-794). Many people have lived in this area since the Stone Age, and there are traces of their worship toward the mountain to the east, where the sun rises even the Onji mountain itself was a deity. It is one of the oldest shrines in Japan, enshrined for the protection of the Kawachi region. In the same way, the fox makes its first appearance near human habitations about the time of new year's "first day of the horse," returning to its winter home in the mountains like the yama no kami after the fall harvest.Īs a result, the adoption of the fox motif as the messenger for the Inari deity is likely based on the symbolic relationship between the "mountain kami - field kami" belief of ancient Shinto, and the characteristic activity of the fox, which makes its appearance in human habitations around the same time.It is said that the shrine was founded in the Yuryaku era (around 470) of the Yamato period. Following the fall harvest, the deity would return once again to its winter home in the mountains in its role as the "mountain kami." In ancient Shinto, the "mountain kami" was believed to descend from its winter residence in the mountain to become the "paddy field kami" (ta no kami) in the spring, residing there during the subsequent agricultural season. In the medieval period, many such animals were believed to to act as intercessors, carrying the manifold entreaties of humans to their masters in the divine world, and this custom continues at present. The motif of the fox or horse which is frequently associated with this kami is due to the role of these animals as messengers of the deity, similar to the hawk found at Hachiman shrines and the "Korean lions" (komainu) at many local ujigami (local tutelary deity) shrines. We are given life by the workings of this kami's spirit, which has an intimate relation to all aspects of our life as human beings. Known as a deity of fertility and reproduction, rebirth, growth and productivity, and protection against fire, the deity is worshiped for its great and boundless virtue. The kami enshrined at Inari shrines is named Ukanomitama no Kami, a deity which presides over the root of life. Particularly during the Tokugawa period, the Kasama Inari Shrine received the devoted patronage of the feudal lord of the Kasama Domain, and spread its influence not only through the Kanto region but throughout all of Japan.Īt present, the shrine is visited by more than 3.5 million pilgrims each year. According to the shrine's legendary history, Kasama Inari was founded in 651 during the reign of Japan's 36th emperor, Kotoku, thus boasting of a history extending over some thirteen centuries. The "Uka" in the name means foodstuffs, indicating the "mysterious spirit dwelling in the grain." In short, Ukanomitama no kami is known as the kami with jurisdiction over the five grains and foodstuffs, the life-root kami having mastery over the sources of life itself.ĭevoted to this same Ukanomitama no kami, the Kasama Inari Shrine is one of the three largest Inari shrines in Japan, having been awarded the ancient court rank of Senior First Grade. The great kami known as Inari was originally known by the name Ukanomitama no kami according to the oldest collection of Japanese mythology, the Kojiki ("Records of Ancient Matters"), Ukanomitama no kami was the child of Susano no okami and Kamuoichihime no kami. The Great Kami Inari and the Kasama Inari Jinja
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |