• • Co-ordinates: 34°27′18″N 136°43′33″E
  • Region: Kansai Region
  • Prefecture: Mie Prefecture
  • Founded: 4BCE
  • Affiliation: Shinto

Ise Grand Shrine

The Ise Grand Shrine (伊勢神宮) is a Shinto Shrine dedicated to Amaterasu, located in Mie Prefecture. It is supposedly the resting place of the Sacred Mirror and was established by Yamatohime.

Mythological Origins

During the reign of Emperor Suinin, the jinnō shōtōki states that Ise Grand Shrine was mentioned during the time of Ninigi’s descent to Earth by the kami Sarudabikona when he stated that he would head to the headwaters of the Isuzu River at Sanagata in Ise.¹

Establishment

It was Yamatohime who eventually chose the area for the shrine. The care of Amaterasu was passed to her from Toyosukiiribime and so she went searching for a place to enshrine the kami, travelling through Sasahata in Uda, then Mino until finally reaching Ise.⁴

The jinnō shōtōki says that she toured the provinces at Amaterasu’s command, further saying she chose the headwaters of the Isuzu River in the Watarai District of Ise in the 26th year, 10th month of Suinin’s reign. Here the kami communed with Yamatohime saying she wished to dwell in Ise and so a shrine was built. When the shrine was first built Amaterasu made a descent from Heaven.¹

She made enquiries about where she could establish this shrine and advice from Ōtanomikoto helped her choose the place it currently resides. He tells her that here there were 50 bells arranged in the shape of the shrine of Heaven and that that these items here had been worshipped for 80,000 years¹

First Priests/Priestess’

In the jinnō shōtōki, Ohokashima is said to have been the first High Priest (saishu) with Ōhatanushi stated to have been the first Head Priest (ōkannushi).¹

In the kojiki it is stated that Toyosukiiribime was High Priestess.⁵

Sacred Regalia/Sacred Spear

After a site was chosen it is said Emperor Suinin placed the Sword and Mirror into the Naikū Shrine.³ The jinnō shōtōki differs slightly saying it was Yamatohime who placed them inside the shrine, this document also says that there was a legend stating the Jewelled Spear of Heaven was kept in the area later chosen for the site of Shrine.¹

Reign of Emperor Keikō

In the Emperor’s 40th year Yamato Takeru is sent east to deal with the rebelling Eastern Barbarians (tōi) accompanied by Kibi no Takehiko and Ōtomo no Takehi. Going via the Ise Grand Shrine he is given the sword kusanagi by his aunt Yamatohime.¹

Reign of Emperor Tenmu

During the reign of Emperor Tenmu the tradition of rebuilding the Shrine once every twenty years was established as a symbol of rebirth.²

Footnotes

1. Varley, H.P (1980) “A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa.” New York: Columbia University Press.
2. Martin, P. (1997) ”The Chrysanthemum Throne”. Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Limited.
3. Ponsonby, F. (1959) “The Imperial House of Japan.” Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society.
4. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
5. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.

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Shugendō

Shugendō (修験道) is a religion in Japan which is a mixture of both Buddhism and native Japanese mountain worship, historically said to have been founded by En no Ozunu upon the slopes of Mount Katsuragi, Nara Prefecture.

The religion had a rather quick growth after its onset and the current Emperor at the time (Monmu) feared they were a threat to his power, and so he exile the relgions founder, Ozunu to the island of Izu Ōshima for three years.

Practitioners of this religion are known as Yamabushi (山伏), a hardy people who live in the moutnains and are known for great expertise in martial arts.

Centuries after the death of En no Ozunu, the Yamabushi built a dojo in his honor on a Koga Mountain called Hando-san, they built it here as they believed this mountain to have been the home of Ozunu.

Historically these practitioners are seen as the first people to have taught the Ninja their tricks, teaching them how to use herbs and minerals, how to understand weather patterns as well as how to camouflage themselves.¹

Yokai Connections

The creatures known as the Tengu have deep associations with the Shugendō as they are seen as guardians of mountains² Additionally due to their association with this religion they are seen as minor kami.³

Footnotes

1. Yoda, H & Alt, M. (2012) “Ninja Attack: True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws” Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing.
2. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.
3. Yoda, H & Alt, M. (2008) “Yokai Attack: The Japanese Monster Survival Guide” Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd.

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Hear about the Kōshin faith on Episode 23 of our Podcast, the Japan Archives.

Kōshin

Kōshin (庚申) is a religion of Japan which can find its origins around the 9th Century. It contains a mixture of both Buddhist and Taoist teachings, but now it not widely practiced.

One of their beliefs sates that worms reside within our bodies, recording both our good and bad deeds. Every 60 days they have to leave the body to report these deeds to Heaven. However, for them to do so, one must be asleep. A chant involving the word Shōkera (later turned into a Yōkai) is used to ensure they cannot leave your body on the day they wish to commune with heaven so the human they dwell within can sleep through the night and does not have to remain awake.

Stone markers depicting monkeys can still be seen around Japan today relating to this religion as the worms would come out on the ‘day of the monkey.’¹

Footnotes

1. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: over Publications, Inc.

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Onmyōdō

Onmyōdō (陰陽道) is a concept in Japan which used the ideoogy of Ying and Yang which originated in China.

Emperor Richū (400-406AD) is said to have died from a lack of harmony in the ‘elements of water and earth’ within him showing that the concept of Ying and Yang had arrived in Japan by the time of his reign.

Later, during the reign of Emperor Kōtoku (645–654AD) the Office of Ying and Yang Divination (Onmyōdō) was established and overseen by the Abe Clan and Kamo Clan.¹ This sect held the concept of ‘shakuzetsu,‘ which was treated as the most auspicious day of the week, and occurred every six days, the Kanji used for this concept were the same used later for the Yokai called the Akashita.²

Footnotes

1. Martin, P. (1997) ”The Chrysanthemum Throne”. Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Limited.
2. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.

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Jingikan

This is a redirect page for the Jingikan.

We are a wiki as well as a Blog and podcast site which is constantly and steadily growing. Bringing to you all aspects of Japanese history. It is going to be a project which will expand continuously over the coming years.

And we hope you stick with us as we try to make it the place to come for all things related to Japanese History.

Be sure to check out our Blog posts whilst visiting. Thanks!

We aim to bring you at least a weekly blog post bringing to you all of our notes for out weekly podcast episodes. Additionally, we will post at the start of every month an update to show you all the new pages that have been added to the wiki side of the website. We have a lot of texts and journals we are reading and researching to add to the site for you and we honestly hope, for those who like Japan and its history, it can become an invaluable source for you to draw upon.

If there is ever anything you think you would love to hear about on the podcast or see added to the wiki database be sure to message us on our Contact Us page.

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Shinto

Shinto (神道) is one of the main relgions of Japan and is native to the country.

Founding Mythology

Founding Kami

See also: List of Shinto Kami.

The original three kami of Shinto which appeared when Heaven and Earth formed, as related in the Kojiki were known as follows:¹

• • Amenominakanushi – (天御中主, Master Mighty Center of Heaven). Ancestor of The Intercessors.
  • Kamimusuhi – (神産巣日神, Sacred Growth). She is stated as the kami of fertility, motherhood and healing, as well as being one of the eight tutelary kami of the Royal Clan.
  • Takamimusuhi – (高御産巣日神, Lofty Growth). The Engi Rites include him as one of the 8 tutelary kami of the Royal Clan, invoked at winter solstice rites and harvest festival.

After these kami came seven generations of kami that formed. These all in the table below. The Kojiki and Nihongi differ slightly in the order of kami that formed.

Creation of Japan

Izanami and Izanagi were brother and sister, but also husband and wife. Together the two of them set about creating the Great Eight Isles, thereby creating the country of Japan. The very first island was created by the Jewelled Spear of Heaven.¹²

The Sun, Moon and Storm Kami

After the death of Izanami, we see the birth of the three children known as Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi and Susano-o. Amaterasu was the kami of the sun, Tsukiyomi of the moon and Susano-o the storms.

Susano-o was an angry and raging kami and wishing to live with his departed mother Izanami he readies himself to descend to the realm of Yomi. Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi have a disagreement after another Shinto kami is killed (this being Ukemochi or Ōgetsuhime depending on the text read) and so Amaterasu sends him away causing day and night to become seperated.

Before Susano-o descends into Yomi he wishes to see his sister one last time and after a few exchanges, Susano injures his sister (or Amenohatorime or Wakahirume depending on the text) and this causes his sister to flee into Ama no Iwato plunging the world into darkness. Eventually she is coaxed out by many other Shinto kami.

Susano-o now leaves for Yomi and comes across a weeping couple who say their daughter is soon to be eaten by the dragon Yamata no Orochi. After felling the dragon and finding the Sacred Sword inside of it he marries the woman he saved (Kushinadahime) and together they have many descendants, one of them eventually giving birth to Ōkuninushi, a man who would rule over all of Japan for some time.

To Be Completed: Okuninushi.

Department of the Jingikan

The Jingikan (神祇官) was a department of Shinto Worship established in the 7th century under the rule of Emperor Kōtoku. It was governed over by the Imbe Clan, Urabe Clan and Nakatomi Clan.³

The first 10 books of the Engi Shiki cover the ceremonies and festivals of the Jingikan.⁴

 Footnotes

1. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
2. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697″. Tuttle Publishing.
3. Martin, P. (1997) ”The Chrysanthemum Throne”. Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Limited.
4. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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