Photo Tour of Usa Jingu
 
In Shinto Shrines: A Guide to the Sacred Sites of Japan's Ancient Religion, my focus was on delivering as much information as possible about as many shrines as possible. The original goal was 100 shrines but this would have necessitated a massive book at a massive price (as well as an irate publisher). Since I was unwilling to compromise the information for each shrine, I compromised on the number of photos. In this blog too, I have followed the style of the book and therefore images are again minimal. But in the assumption that readers of the book and of this blog might also be interested in seeing more of the places being written about, I am presenting a series of Photo Tours.  Here then is the principle shrine of the kami often referred to as the "God of War":Hachiman.

Usa Jingu

       Hachiman shrines are one of the most numerous types, having 30,000 individual shrines by some reckonings. This is likely an inflated figure given that the total number of shrines in the country is said to number about 80,000. However there is little doubt that Hachiman is one of the most common shrines, and Usa in Oita province, Kyushu, is probably where the cult began. Hachiman is an extremely interesting and thoroughly combinatory kami containing distinct Buddhist elements and origins.

Top photo shows the left ichi no goten, bottom the san no goten. Both pictures also show the nii no goten in the center back and the moshiden in front of it.

       Hachiman is itself a combination of Emperor Ojin, Himegami (a consort kami which varies according to the shrine but is here considered to be the three female Munakata deities), and Jingu Kogo. This is why there are three individual buildings. These are enclosed within a kairo covered walkway with a two-tiered roumon entrance. It is the roumon and kairo painted in cinnabar that represent the Hachiman style to most visitors. The same style can be seen at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu in Kamakura and others. What is not so apparent is the double gable roof which is even more indicative of the style though, in fact, the double gable is now to be seen in only four Hachiman shrines that I know of. Not all Hachiman shrines have three deities or three buildings either. Some enshrine Ojin alone and some Ojin and Jingu who are child and mother. Some include Ojin's sons.

Gegu of Usa Hachiman, front and right side

        While the grounds of the shrine are extensive and the structures number more than 20, the two principle groupings are the jogu (at the top of the page) and the gegu. Although the terminology is slightly different, as with Ise Jingu, the kami of the gegu are said to provide food to the kami of the jogu. Interestingly, I have been told that the gegu (or in the case of Ise, the geku) was likely built before the jogu (or in the case of Ise again, the naiku) since a place to prepare food offerings would be needed before the principle kami could be enshrined. The structure is similar to that of the main shrine except that the kairo does not surround the entire compound, there is no roumon, and the three individual shrines within do not sport a double gable as can be seen clearly from the right side photo. 

Covered bridge of Usa Jingu

        Another distinctive structure at Usa is this covered bridge called the kurehashi which is thought to exist since the thirteenth century. It is one of several bridges that cross the Yorimo River bordering the shrine grounds. The ceremonial bridge is used only once every ten years when an imperial messenger, bearing offerings from the Emperor, crosses it. Modifications have been made over the years, such as the closed gate and the concrete pilings. Such a long covered bridge is quite rare in Japan and I would love to hear from readers if anyone is aware of any others.

Map of he grounds of Usa Hachiman

Miyazaki Jingu                                                                           UC

Miyazaki Jingu
(photos courtesy of the shrine)

Date founded: The shrine was founded in the reign of Jimmu Tenno (r.660-585BC) according to shrine tradition.  Current buildings from 1907. 

Address: 2-4-1 Jingu, Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki 880-0053

Tel/Information: 0985-27-4004

How to get there: Take the JR Nippo Line to Miyazaki Jingu Station, then 5 minutes on foot. 

Enshrined kami: Kamuyamato iwarehiko no sumera mikoto (Jinmu Tenno), Ugayafukiaezu no mikoto (father), and Tamayorihime no mikoto (mother)

Prayers offered: For safe childbirth, protection against misfortune (yakuyoke), and others.

Best times to go: From mid to late April to see the wisteria blossoms, including a rare variety with large white blossoms.  There is also horseback archery (yabusame) on 3 April. The surrounding forest is lovely any time of year.

Important physical features: Miyazaki was a small provincial town until the Meiji period when in 1883 it was chosen by the central government as the capital of the newly created prefecture of Miyazaki in southeastern Kyushu. Prior to this, the area was known as Hyuga since at least the seventh century. The shrine was rebuilt in 1907 on what was believed to be the birth place of Emperor Jimmu, making the shrine an important one in the newly created group of imperial shrines that included the creation of Hokkaido Jingu (1869), Heian Jingu (1895), and Meiji Jingu (1912). Most of these shrines were given the name jingu rather than jinja to show a special connection to the Imperial House, and to link them to an attempted centralization of Shinto focused on Ise Jingu.

         The modern shrine architecture style used here is the work of Ito Chuta, the historian-architect who is also credited with the design of Heian Jingu, Meiji Jingu and many other shrines from the era. For Miyazaki Jingu he created a strictly symmetrical layout of shinmei-zukuri type structures. One of the characteristics of this modern Shinto style is the strict flatness of the roof, made even more so by being surfaced with copper shingles rather than kaya as Ise Jingu. This makes for a much stricter and cooler appearance. The other characteristic is the great length of the roof and width of the structures, as opposed to their shallow depth, and the heavy use of very long chigi along the ridge of every structure from gate to honden. The roof ridge of shinmei-zukuri runs left to right and the entrance is on the non-gable side. The 4-legged gate (shinmon) with a long shinmei style roof with chigi and katsuogi, is followed by a square, open sided “worship place” (haishyo) with the same style roof. This is the point from which people usually make their prayers. A low, open fence that also lines the sando, prevents entry past this point. Beyond this is the large, 7-bay wide heiden with a long roof containing seven katsuogi. Extending from the sides of the heiden, covered corridors connect to two 3x2-bay structures that are placed with the gable facing forward. This gives the building the feel of a shoin style palace from the Heian period. All of these structures have very simple and unadorned round pillars, and the wood has taken on a dark patina over the years. The smaller honden is of the same style, and connected to the heiden by a short roof. Right of the sando just before entering the gate, there is a treasure house also designed by Ito. This semi-European style employs a wall treatment called namakokabe that first became popular on the houses of high-ranking samurai during the Edo period. It became common for storehouses in the western part of the country and involves tiles set diagonally on the wall, with wide gaps in which plaster has been mounded. The tile is usually dark grey like roofing tile and the result is fire and water-resistant.

Important spiritual features: We are told by both the Kojiki and the Nihon shoki that the roots of the imperial line—from the descent of Ninigi no mikoto, to the outset of the third generation in the form of Kamuyamato iwarehiko and his brothers—has its history in the ancient fiefdom of Hyuga (present day Miyazaki). Known as Jimmu Tenno from about the eighth century, the story of this heavenly descendent ultimately founding the kingdom that would become Japan, is central to the Japanese version of divine rule. It will be recalled that the line of heavenly kami continued to marry earthly kami until Jimmu makes his way to Yamato to found the nation, where the ancient texts record a change from the “Divine Age” or “Age of the Kami”, to the age of man. I go into some detail on the founding myths in Shinto Shrines: A Guide to the Sacred Sites of Japan's Ancient Religion." The story of Miyazaki Jingu’s foundation begins in Yamato, where an aged Jimmu (said to have lived for 137 years) is concerned that the Kyushu clans have not yet submitted to his will. Jimmu decides to send his grandson Takeiwatatsu no mikoto to do the job. When he lands back in his ancestral Hyuga, he first stops off at the site of present day Miyazaki Jingu to worship his grandfather, before going on to find a place to settle down and develop the land. The place he finally settles in is Aso and therefore he is enshrined at Aso Jinja in neighboring Kumamoto. He is therefore considered the founder of Kyushu while Jimmu is considered the founder of the nation. While the dates are not known and take place in mythical time (i.e. there is as yet no written or archeological proof of any nation states in Japan at that time), the traditional foundation date of Yamato (and the official founding date of Japan) is given as 660BC. 
         Archeology does tell us a few things, however, which bare some light on the mythology. It is believed that, in fact, the region later known as Hyuga was late in developing compared to other places in Kyushu. This may be partly because it was isolated from the rest of Kyushu and accessible only by sea. It may also be that a hostile group, referred to in the literature as the Kumasa people, resisted influences from the outside, were responsible for the death of Emperor Chuai (r.), and were finally subdued only in the eighth century. It is odd, therefore, that the writers of these eighth century texts should have chosen this region to begin the history of the country. There is even speculation that Jimmu and his followers landed here from another country and, finding an unwelcoming environment, continued on there way to the Kansai—conquering and consolidating kingdoms as they went.  A later date for development in the south is evidenced by the  the kofun burial mounds in this area being of a later date than those in the Kansai. It is also the case that metal work in bronze was rare in southern Kyushu and that commerce and communication ran east-west along the northern shores and on to Yamaguchi in western Honshu, through the Inland Sea and on to the Kansai area. There is also some evidence from skeletal remains that the  new Yayoi immigrants of North Asian origins, moved into the older Jomon locations occupied by people of South Asian origin. It may be that the mythology of the seventh century chronicles and that of Miyazaki Jingu is a reenactment of this displacement in an area of the country that—because of its isolation—was later in experiencing it, and therefore more prominent in the legends that were handed down. An excellent book on the subject is "Himiko and Japan's Elusive Chiefdom of Yamatai" by J. Edward Kidder.

Shan Shan Matsuri

Description: Miyazaki Jingu occupies an area of 64 acres in the heart of the city. The forest that surrounds the shrine reflects the combination of the belief in the sanctity of nature and the efforts of local people who have taken care to preserve the forest known as Jimmu sama.  This includes a 600 year-old rare, white wisteria, with a canopy reaching some 40 feet in one direction. The shrine itself is built entirely of cedar. Like many of the other imperial shrines built from the Meiji to the pre-war period, Miyazaki Jingu was a statement of the “new order” in Shinto, as defined by the government. Unlike some completely new shrines from the era, Miyazaki Jingu had an ancient history and connection to the Imperial House. As I mentioned above, the area comprising present day Miyazaki is central to the account of the first three generations of kami after the decent to earth.  The prefecture therefore boasts many ancient shrines dedicated to those involved in the mythical birth of Japan.

Yabusame at Miyazaki Jingu

Festivals: Miyazaki Jingu Taisai, first weekend after 26 October.  Also called "Shan Shan" Matsuri, from the sound made by the bells decorating the horses in the procession of 1000 people in period costume.

Amano Iwato Jinja                                                 UC

Amano Iwata Jinja
(photos courtesy of the shrine)

Date Founded: The age of the cave called Amano Iwato is undocumented. Shrine foundation dates are also unclear. Present buildings date from 1955 and 1985 respectively.

Address: 1073-1 Iwato, Takachiho-cho, Nishiusugi gun, Miyazaki 882-1621         

Tel/Information: 0982-74-8239. English translation of the myth of Amano Iwato is available.

How to get there: The directions are the same as for Takachiho Jinja until you get to Takachiho. Then take the bus from the Takachiho Bus Center (about 6 miles). Buses depart hourly (6 buses per day) to Amano Iwato Jinja-mae bus stop.

Enshrined kami: Amaterasu omikami in the western shrine, Ame no iwayado in the eastern shrine.

Prayers offered: Pray for good luck and happiness.

Best times to go: For the kagura traditional dance festivals, May 2^nd to 3^rd, and September 21^st to 23rd. Also for the cherry blossoms in April and autumn colors in November.

A view from inside Amano Yasugawara cave

Important physical features: This shrine (and indeed, neighboring Takachiho Jinja) is located in a difficult place for the casual tourist to reach. It is in the mountains northeast of Miyazaki City. It can only be reached by bus (from Takachiko) or by car. The most important physical property of the shrine is of course the cave, Amano Iwato (“Heavenly Rock Dwelling”), where Amaterasu Omikami hid herself away, and the Amano Yasugawara cave, where the “eight-million myriad deities” (yaoyarozu) gathered along the “Tranquil River of Heaven” to plan a way to lure her back out. I go into some detail on the myth in "Shinto Shrines: A Guide to the Sacred Sites of Japan's Ancient Religion." The main, western-shrine (nishi hongu) is on the west bank of the Iwato River (a branch of the Gokase River) but Amano Iwato is on the right bank, behind the eastern-shrine (higashi hongu). You cannot approach Amano Iwato but you can look toward it (you can’t actually see it through the trees) from a deck inside the nishi hongu shrine (and taking photos is discouraged). The cave acts as the goshintai, the body of the enshrined spirit. The buildings here are new, both being from the late 90’s. The nishi hongu is entered through a 3-bay gate built in a sort of modern shinmei zukuri style, with a large gabled-roof covered in copper tiles. There are also chigi and katsuogi on this roof and the entrance is under the eaves on the non-gable side. From the right and left side of the gate, a tall, unpainted tamagaki fence surrounds the inner grounds. Passing through this gate brings you to the courtyard in front of the haiden. The haiden looks like a double of the gate except that it is raised a few steps above ground level, and it is deeper. To the right and left of the main 3-bay structure are two additional shrines, also with large gabled-roofs, this time with the entrance on the gabled side. This is a rather unique arrangement that seems to be related to the form of Takachiho Jinja—the architecture of which is older. These shrines are connected to covered corridors that emanate from the left and right sides of the haiden. To the left of the shrine is a kaguraden, built in an older style with a gabled roof with chidorihafu false dormer and karahafu in a small step-canopy.

The higashi hongu is approached up a long flight of stairs through a lovely wood. There is a series of three torii but no gate. The haiden is similar to the nishi hongu but smaller and simpler. It has an open grill front and the back is open, giving a view of the honden. The honden is shinmei zukuri surrounded by a tamagaki fence and you can walk around the entire shrine. Although Amano Iwato itself is off limits, you can freely approach the Amano Yasugawara cave—in fact, you can walk right into it. A path leads from the nishi hongu along the Iwato River and across a narrow, arched bridge. The banks along the river and the approach to the cave are strewn with an incredible number of small stone cairns or alters (iwasaka) erected by worshippers. A torii stands in front of the cave and a paved-stone path leads underneath it. Inside the cave itself is a small shrine for making devotions. The whole effect of grand nature and primitive stone offerings is one of mysterious beauty, punctuated by the sound of the swift-flowing stream.

Important spiritual features: Amano Iwato is considered by some to be the site of one of the most important stories of the Imperial Shinto epic of how the ancestor of the emperor came to be recognized as the primary kami in the heavens. I describe this legend in the introductory notes to "Shinto Shrines: A Guide to the Sacred Sites of Japan's Ancient Religion" so I will only give an abbreviated version here. The destructive rampaging of Amaterasu's brother, Susano-o, drove the sun kami to hide herself in the cave called Amano Iwato and thus deprive the world of her light. So distressing was her absence that all the kami got together to discuss how to lure her out. The myth is central because it points to Amaterasu as "first among equals" and shows the support of all the other kami for her position (vs that of Susano-o's). The myth is thus often considered a device used by the Yamato clans and their allies of the seventh or eighth century, to legitimize their rule. The plot to lure Amaterasu out of Amano Iwato, involved a number of kami who were later sent to earth with Amaterasu’s grandson Ninigi, and are considered the ancestors of some of the most powerful clans of the new state. Of course there is little in the way of evidence to connect the Amano Iwato of “the plain of high-heaven” to the Amano Iwato of modern day Miyazaki Prefecture. It is simply taken on faith. At first glance, for example, it may seem somewhat incongruous that the “heavenly rock-cave” is located only several miles from Mt. Takachiho, the place where the grandson of Amaterasu descended from heaven to rule the world. However the concept of heaven above, earth below, and hell below that does not necessary apply in the strict physical sense; especially in Shinto, where the land of the dead and the land of spirits, both good and bad, are often considered to be ever-present right alongside man.

Description: Amano Iwato has become the de facto representation of the “heavenly rock-cave” though what most visitors are able to see is actually the Amano Yasugawara cave where the kami gathered to discuss strategy. In conjunction with the nearby town of Takachiho, Amano Iwato Jinja helps to bring these myths to life with nightly performances of kagura—dances that recount these ancient legends. The kagura is said to originate with the dance of Ame no uzume, who performed in front of Amano Iwato in order to lure Amaterasu back into the world. The dance succeeded in making the “eight-million myriad kami” roar with laughter, prompting Amaterasu to take a peak at the unexpected uproar. Ame no uzume was considered the ancestor of the Sarume clan who were charged with carrying on the ritual ceremony of dancing for the pleasure of the gods. So it is that most large to medium size shrines have kaguraden on there grounds where performances are held on festival days. One might find such local accoutrements as the Disyneyesque statue of Tajiarao—the “hand-power” kami who pulled away the stone covering the cave (or pulled Amaterasu out of the cave depending on the version)—or Ame no uzume revolving on an overturned bucket a bit out of character to the solemnity one would expect of such a divine location. But maybe this too is designed to evoke a mighty guffaw, just like the one that shook the heavens and made the sun reappear, all those eons ago.

Festivals: Kagura Festival, 3 November. All-day kagura, featuring a range of performances.

Takachiho Jinja                                                                                                     UC

The haiden and wedded trees of Takachiho Jinja
(photos courtesy of the shrine)

Date founded: Tradition holds that the shrine was founded by Emperor Suinin between 29 b.c. and a.d. 70. The present buildings are from 1778.

Address: 1037 Mitai, Takachiho-cho, Nishiusugi-gun, Miyazaki 882-1101

Tel/Information: 0982-72-2413. A pamphlet in English entitled “Guide to Takachiho” is available at the Tourist information Center near Takachiho Station or from the Takachiho Bus Center.

How to get there: From Kumamoto Airport or Kumamoto Station it’s a two-hour bus ride to the Takachiho Bus Center and then about fifteen minutes by foot to the shrine. Alternatively, take the JR Nichiran Line from Miyazaki City to Nobeoka Station. Transfer to the bus for a ninety-minute ride to the Takachiho Bus Center.

Enshrined kami: Takachiho Sumegami and Jisha Daimyojin.

Prayers offered: Safety on the roadways, success in love or marriage, and protection from misfortune.

Best times to go: Autumn for the changing colors.

While you're here, any readers who are interested in having a kamidana of their own, or would like to send one to a friend or family member, please check out this post: https://shintoshrinesofjapanblogguide.blogspot.com/2019/06/portable-kamidana-jinja.html

Important physical features: Takachiho Jinja is located in the mountains between Miyazaki and Kumamoto. The area is landlocked but traversed by the Gokase River that runs all the way to the ocean, with an outlet at Nobeoka City on the Miyazaki coast. Proof of civilization from the Paleolithic period (40,000–14,000 b.c.) has been uncovered at various sites along the river in Takachiho. The scenery along the river is one of the natural properties of the area that attracts tourists. Takachiho Jinja is set in a grove of old Japanese cypress trees in the city of Takachiho. The haiden is five bays wide, with three bays having folding doors and the two outer bays covered in squared lattice panels. The irimoya gabled, copper-tile–covered roof is perpendicular to the honden behind it (the entrance is on the gabled side) and has a karahafu step canopy. There is a chidorihafu behind the step canopy. The roof ridge  runs right-to-left, but the perpendicular roof ridge of the chidorihafu is actually higher. Behind this, a three-by-two–bay honden is a typical nagare-zukuri structure, also with a copper-clad roof, and an unusually high number of katsuogi (nine) on the roof ridge. But the most interesting feature of the honden is its unique carvings. One of these is a fully realized sculpture of Mikenu no mikoto (a brother of Jinmu Tenno) brandishing a sword over the head of a pleading Kihachi. The story is told that Mikenu killed a demon named Kihachi, who had been terrorizing the community. He cut him up into three parts and buried him in different locations. Even today, a festival is held every year to quell the spirit of the demon. Such sculptures are extremely rare, especially for a honden. To the eyes of a Westerner it seems to be rather Christian-influenced. But other unusual features point to a different influence entirely. There is a door in the side of the front bay, carvings of phoenixes under the gable, frog-leg struts (kaerumata) on the tie-beams, shrimp-shaped rainbow beams (ebikoryo) connecting the extended roof support-pillars to the main structure, and decorative rafter struts (tabasami). These are all marks of the zenshuyo style, a Buddhist-influenced style favored by the Tokugawa. All together they make for a very interesting honden. Both the honden and haiden are in unfinished wood, but the traces of previous polychroming are still evident. To the front left side of the haiden stand two towering Chichibu cedars, each almost two hundred feet tall and estimated to be eight hundred years old. They are growing so close to each other that they have joined at the base. Such trees (many are found at shrines throughout Japan) are thought of as a married couple and prayers for prosperity, harmony and the well being of the family, are made in front of these twin trees.

            Aside from the shrine itself, other favorite destinations in the area include hiking up the many mountain trails and enjoying the sites along the Gokase River. Lava that once flowed from Mount Aso in neighboring Kumamoto created vertical formations of rock. The river has cut deeply into the lava, exposing the pillar-like structure and creating a narrow chasm called Takachiho Gorge. There is a walking route along the river that stretches for about half a mile and rowboats can be rented at one end of the trail (1,500 yen for thirty minutes and a maximum of three people per boat). Rowing through Takachiho Gorge and past the fifty-foot Minai no taki waterfall is probably the most interesting part of the trip. This is one of the biggest attractions in the area, so expect crowds on the weekend. Boats can be rented from 7:30 a.m. in the summer months.

Important spiritual features: Mount Takachiho is where the Kojiki and Nihon shoki record that the grandson of Amaterasu, Ninigi no mikoto, was sent to earth to begin the process that led to the founding of the Yamato state and ultimately Japan. I go into some detail about this important myth in "Shinto Shrines: A Guide to the Sacred Sites of Japan's Ancient Religion." However there is some disagreement about which Mount Takachiho is meant. The prevailing opinion seems to point to Takachiho no mine in the southern part of Miyazaki prefecture. Be that as it may, this jinja enshrines Takachiho Sumegami (a combination of Ninigi no mikoto, his wife Konohanasakuya hime, one of their sons Hohodemi no mikoto, his wife Toyotama hime, and their son Ugayafukiaezu and his wife Tamayori hime). In other words it enshrines three generations of kami—beginning with the descent from heaven—as well as their wives and offspring. In addition, Jisha Daimyojin (a combination of Jinmu’s brother Mikenu no mikoto and his wife Unome hime and their eight children) is also enshrined. According to the Kojiki and Nihon shoki, Jinmu and three brothers set out from Kyushu to conquer the other clans. Along the way, the brothers were killed or went missing, with only Jinmu surviving the ordeal. The shrine seems to have a long history since a Takachiho Jinja is mentioned in the Sandai jitsuroku (written between 850 and 858). But in the premodern era it was called Jisha Daimyojin or Jishagu, reflecting the possibility that it had come under the influence of the Kumamoto shrines and Shinto-Buddhist syncretism. As of the year 1743, there were eighteen villages and 554 shrines in the vicinity of Takachiho, eighty-eight of which were considered the most important (possibly modeled on the eighty-eight–temple pilgrimage of Shikoku), of which this was one. But the Meiji government restricted each village to one shrine in 1871, and the shrine was renamed Mitai Jinja after the clan that ruled the area until 1598. In 1895, the name of the shrine was changed again, to Takachiho Jinja.

Yokagura of Takachiho

Description: Although Takachiho is known as the place where Ninigi no mikoto descended, it is also famous for the “heavenly rock-cave” (Amano Iwato) where Amaterasu Omikami hid her light from the world. The legendary site of this cave is in Takachiho, about six miles northeast of the town. Takachiho is perhaps best known for its reenactment of this and other creation myths. This is a city devoted to kagura, traditional dance and music dedicated to the kami. The particular style of kagura performed in Takachiho is called yokagura (“night kagura”). This is a series of thirty-three dances performed during the winter months from November to February, when the homes of townsfolk become impromptu stages for the dance. Once the exclusive provenance of miko (shrine priestesses) and professional kagura troupes, this dance form spread to the countryside in the Edo period. But it remains an art dedicated to the kami, and shrine priests will first purify the house where the performance is to be held and invite the kami to enter. The performers, called hoshadon, are drawn from the local population. There are currently twenty-four groups, totaling about 480 dancers. Performances begin around 7 or 8 p.m. on Saturday night and continue until the following afternoon—about twenty hours, with only one break. People bring a blanket and their own food and drink to sustain themselves during the long performances, which in some cases can only be viewed from outside the house. The performance is not designed for tourists, though tourists do attend. An offering of about 3000 yen is required. For those not privileged to join in this ancient celebration, a shortened version is held nightly at Takachiho Jinja, for an entry fee of 500 yen. Four performances are held in the kaguraden of the shrine and present the myth of the “heavenly rock-cave” featuring the dance of Ame no uzume (albeit a toned-down version), the legendary origin of kagura, and the mighty Tajikarao, who rolled away the stone covering the cave entrance.

Festivals: Shishikake Matsuri (Wild Boar Festival), 3 December. This is an ancient festival that is actually a memorial service (ireisai) for the demon Kihachi. It seems that repeated early frost was killing the crops, and it was determined that this was the curse of the demon Kihachi. One of the kami enshrined here, Mikenu no mikoto, killed the demon and cut him into three pieces, burying the parts in different places to keep him from arising again. However the frosts continued, and it was decided to make a festival for the demon and sacrifice a young maiden to him. It is said that this was done until sometime in the medieval period, when a wild boar was substituted for the maiden.

Yokagura Festival, 21 November to 10 February. Please check the schedule by calling the Takachiho Sightseeing office (in Japanese) at 0982-73-1212. A total of thirty-three performances of this special kagura are held throughout the weekends of the festival.

Aso Jinja                                                                         UC

Romon and yakuimon of Aso Jinja
(photos courtesy of the shrine)

Date founded: Founded in 282 b.c. during the reign of Emperor Korei (r. 290–15 b.c.), according to shrine tradition. The current buildings are from 1835.

Address: 3083-1 Ichinomiya-machi Miyaji, Aso-shi, Kumamoto 869-2612

Tel/Information: 0967-22-0064. The shrine is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

How to get there: JR Hohi Honsen Line to Miyaji Station, then 15 to 20 minutes on foot.

Enshrined kami: Takeiwatatsu no mikoto.

Prayers offered: Safety on the seas and the roadways, a good marriage, and academic success.

Best times to go: Mid-March for the Hifuri Matsuri, or 28–29 July for the Onda Matsuri.

Important physical features: Aso Jinja’s most important physical feature may be its proximity to the Aso Volcano. The volcano actually has two caldera—the small “inner” one that is still smoldering, and the huge “outer” one that is a broad and flat plain bordered on all sides by a natural wall that constitutes the difference between the original (higher) elevation of the ground and the lower elevation following the eruption. In other words the elevation at the rim of the outer caldera (3,600 to 3,900 feet) is roughly equivalent to the height of the remaining peaks in the center (3,600 to 4,500 feet). The shrine lies in the northeastern part of the outer caldera—one of the largest in the world at approximately eighty miles in circumference, and the largest in which people are actually living. One of the craters near the center is active, and though the occasional eruptions are small, it does smolder constantly and emit enough gas to warrant color-coded warnings to alert visitors to the level of danger. It is thought that the eruptions that produced the caldera happened between 90,000 and 300,000 years ago.

            Like most shrines with a long history, Aso has been rebuilt numerous times—the last in the mid-1800s. It has a magnificent, two-story romon gate about sixty-seven feet tall that is said to be one of the three largest shrine gates in Japan (the others are at Hakozakigu in Fukuoka and Kashima Jingu in Ibaraki). It is three bays wide and unpainted, differing from the other large romon in having a wide pent roof surrounding it at the height of the first story—a feature more often seen in Buddhist architecture. The lower roof is wider than the irimoya roof that caps the structure, and it contains a karahafu over the center bay. Both roofs are covered in copper tiles but were originally surfaced in shingles made of tree bark. A long covered fence extends from both sides of the gate, and smaller roofed gates (yakuimon) punctuate the fence to the right and left. The impressive two-tiered romon leads to a small courtyard that faces the nearby haiden. The haiden has an irimoya-zukuri roof, the ridge of which runs from the entrance side back toward the honden. Large chidorihafu (false dormers) emerge from just under the roof ridge to both the left and right. A step canopy completes the front side. A fence with a broad roof extends to the right and left, and is also punctuated by entrance gates with karahafu. A four-by-two–bay room is positioned at the front corners of the fence. From this point, the fence is lower and the roof smaller as it wraps around the inner compound containing the honden.

            The inner compound contains three honden, though there is only one “god seat” (shinza). It is an unusual feature, which is discussed below. Two of the honden (called geden) stand side by side with a space of about ten feet between them, while the third is in the center and to the rear. The two front honden (geden) are identical five-by-two–bay nagare-zukuri structures, but with irimoya gabled roofs and chidorihafu and karahafu on the front side. The roof configuration is unusual but not unheard-of for a honden. The main ridge has chigi and katsuogi, with chigi on the chidorihafu as well. The third building is a much smaller two-by-two–bay structure with only a chidorihafu on the front side of the irimoya roof. The roofs of all the structures are copper tile, and all the wood is unpainted.

Onda Matsuri

Important spiritual features: The main kami enshrined at Aso Jinja is Takeiwatatsu no mikoto, a grandchild of the first emperor, Jinmu. Despite his noble lineage, no mention is made of the kami in the Kojiki or the Nihon shoki. Much of what is known about him and about the traditions of Aso Jinja comes from the Dazai kannaishi (1841) by Ito Tsunetari. He compiled into eighty-two volumes, over thirty-seven years, old documents relating to Kyushu—of which the Asosha engi was one. The Dazai kannaishi relates that Jinmu sent his grandson to Kyushu to resettle the place from which their ancestors had emerged and that the grandson built a palace in Miyaji. Shrine tradition states that the kami first set about draining a large lake inside the caldera of the volcano and then taught agriculture to the local people. Along the way he met Kusakabe Yoshimi no kami—the deity enshrined at nearby Kusakabe Yoshimi Jinja—and married his daughter, Asotsuhime. According to this tradition, after his marriage, Takeiwatatsu decided to find a place to settle by firing an arrow into the air. Yamura (literally, “arrow village”) in Miyaji is said to be the spot from which he launched the arrow, while Aso Jinja marks the spot where it landed. Much later, in 282 b.c., Emperor Korei ordered the founding of Aso no Miya. Though not mentioned in the Engi shiki (927) list of shrines for the province, it may be that three other shrines mentioned were later merged into one. It is in this light that the three honden and one kami of Aso must be viewed.

            Another tradition of the shrine is that of the juniza (Aso junisha), or twelve god seats of Aso shrine. These include Takeiwatatsu, his wife and son, his father-in-law, and other relatives. So it is that the honden to the left is said also to contain six male deities, and the honden to the right six female deities. The honden in the middle rear is called the shoshinden (once called Moromoro Jinja) and enshrines all 3,132 deities mentioned in the Engi shiki. The arrangement seems to date from the last reconstruction in the nineteenth century.

            One thing about this shrine that has been remarkably constant is its priesthood. The Aso clan claim descent from the son of Emperor Jinmu, and their leader once held the title of kuni no miyatsuko (provincial governor or country chieftain). This is the same Hayamikatama no mikoto who is enshrined at Aoi Aso Jinja, and he is considered a great-grandson of Jinmu. They were vast landholders and controlled the province until the fourteenth century, thereafter continuing as the priestly family of Aso Jinja (from where the clan name was eventually taken). Although the Meiji government abolished ancestral control of shrines, several families managed to stay in position. The Senge of Izumo Taisha are one example; they claim eighty-four generations as chief priests of the shrine. The Aso clan are another and claim ninety-one generations.

Description: The Aso area of Kyushu is currently being promoted for “ecotourism,” and with good reason. It is largely unspoiled and has unique natural assets. The black volcanic soil is rich and fertile, producing an abundance of crops, and the water here is said to be some of the best in the country. The ancient volcanic pumice provides a natural purification mechanism for the water that flows through the city of Kumamoto toward the sea. It is the largest city in the world to have its primary needs met by spring water. Of course, the magma under the volcano means that there are also a large number of onsen hot springs in the area. The shrine is located in Aso City, a relatively small community surrounded by farms and fields, in the outer caldera of the volcano. The long, straight road that passes in front of the shrine from north to south crosses the railroad line about half a mile south of the shrine. In other words, the long approach is perpendicular to the direction of the shrine, which faces east toward the sunrise. The long, straight road is used for shrine ceremonies such as horseback archery (yabusame) and fire swinging in the Hifuri Matsuri. The shrine’s torii are also along this road, so that if you look southward, the peaks of the inner caldera of Mount Aso are framed by them. One theory is that the shrine originated on the side or the top of the mountains—though its own tradition eschews this theory. Nevertheless, the volcano continues to loom large in the background, and the earthquakes it generates have had a major impact on of the life of the people. There are currently about five hundred Aso shrines across the country of which this is the principal one.

Hifuri Matsuri

Festivals: Aso Hifuri Matsuri, mid-March (the date varies). Originally an agricultural festival to pray for a good harvest and celebrate the marriage between the deity of Aso and the rice deity. When they are carried through the streets in mikoshi, large numbers of participants greet them with taimatsu, or lighted torches of bundled grass, swung round on ropes—and everyone is invited to join in. Designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Onda Matsuri, 28–29 July. A traditional planting festival. Fourteen women called unari, wrapped in white from head to toe, carry offerings of rice on their heads, accompanied by a procession with mikoshi, shishimai (a lion dance), and oxen.

Aoi Aso Jinja                                                                         UC

Romon of Aoi Aso Jinja
(all photos courtesy of the shrine)

Date founded: Founded in 806, according to shrine tradition. The current buildings are from 1609 to 1613.

Address: 118 Kamiaoi-cho, Hitoyoshi-shi, Kumamoto 868-0005

Tel/Information: 0966-22-2274 Open from 8:30 to 5pm.

How to get there: From Kumamoto Station, take the Kagoshima Honsen Line to Yatsuhiro Station. Change to the JR Hisatsu Line to Hitoyoshi Station, then 5 minutes on foot.

Enshrined kami: Takeiwatatsu no mikoto, Asotsuhime no mikoto, and Kuni no Miyatsuko Hayamikatama no mikoto.

Prayers offered: Help with new ventures.

Best times to go: The beginning of April for cherry-blossom viewing, and the beginning of July for the lotus blossoms in the pond in front of the shrine. Also for the Okunchi Festival in early October.

Haiden

Important physical features: Aoi Aso Jinja’s extremely interesting and unique architecture is its most important physical feature. Five structures of this shrine, constructed between 1609 and 1613, are designated National Treasures—of which there are fewer than eleven hundred nationwide. The fact that three of the five important structures retain their thatched roofs (kayabuki) is a credit to the will of the priests to preserve the shrines’ history in the face of what has no doubt been tremendous pressure over the years to do away with them. Aside from the obvious fire hazard that the roofs pose, the number of craftsmen capable of high-quality kaya thatching has dwindled in modern times to almost nothing. (Of course, all roofs in Japan were either thatched or covered in tree bark at one time, but while many shrine buildings still employ cypress-bark roofs, thatch is now quite rare.) 

           This group of shrine buildings begins with the two-story, three-bay romon gate, which at approximately forty feet tall, is not particularly large for its type. But the structure’s Momoyama-period polychroming, elaborate carving and its massive thatched roof make for a most impressive introduction to the shrine grounds. The gate has a hipped roof (yosemune or yotsuyane), usually associated with Buddhist temples or with thatched-roof farmhouses (minka). It is topped with okichigi, or crossed wood battens that sit on the ridge like chigi. The three-bay-wide gate was once lacquered mainly in black, with red bracket complexes (tokyo) in the zenshuyo (Zen-sect) style and details painted in white and green. Though mostly worn down now to the underlying wood, the once-bright polychrome will make a striking sight when restored. In the outer bays are small, primitive wooden zuijin and komainu figures. There are carvings around the gate above the transom depicting the “twenty-four paragons of filial piety,” a Chinese Confucian theme on the proper relations of children and parents that became a standard of Japanese pictorial art after it entered Japan in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century.

Finally, there are the mysterious and rather curious depictions of  heads of deities. There are four pairs, each in a kind of two-faced Janus composition in white, that sit at the upper corners on the tail rafters (odaruki) under the eaves. They appear to represent yin/yang or nigitama/aratama (protective/aggressive) pairs. The only carvings of this type known in Japan, they were termed “hitoyoshi-style” by Yazaki Yoshimori, a professor at Kyoto University, who undertook a study of the romon in 1944. Interestingly, the Roman two-faced god Janus was also a god of gates and doors. There are paintings of dragons on the ceiling, and legend has it that they came out to drink at a nearby pond and were drawn to the magnificent gate.

            Like the gate, the haiden has a thatched yosemune roof, with the ridge running left to right, and the five-by-three–bay building is divided into three rooms. The building also serves as a kaguraden, where performances of the Kuma Kagura (“Kuma dance”) are performed every 8 October. The front bay is an open “porch,” and the walls of the enclosed bays are of simple vertical wooden-board construction. The building was once painted in black lacquer. It has a very unusual step canopy, with a karahafu roof covered in copper tiles. The interior walls are painted black, with tatami mat floors. Behind the haiden and set perpendicular to it, is the three-by-five–bay heiden, also with a thatched roof and primarily lacquered in black inside and out. There are windows along both sides of this simple structure, giving it the appearance of a large room in a house. There is additional polychroming in red and green along the outer walls above the transoms, in a pattern typical of Buddhist temples. The fascinating design element here is the intricate wooden relief carving seen on the transoms located inside and outside the building. There is one panel for every bay on both the interior and exterior. They are of polychromed wood and depict pine trees, bamboo, plums, peonies, and birds. In addition, the interior has four elaborately carved and painted openwork transoms between the front and rear rooms. The center bay of the back wall comprises a doorway that opens to the one by one bay corridor which itself opens to reveal the front of the honden. This corridor is really no more than a canopy but is considered a separate structure also with a National Treasure designation. Attached to the upper corners of the door frame are carved reliefs of dragons, their faces turned toward the honden.

Heiden

            The honden is a three-by-two–bay nagare-zukuri structure with a copper-tile roof, which contains chigi and katsuogi. These are the only features of the honden that are obviously Shinto. The building is as elaborately polychromed and carved as the other structures, and employs a kozama motif usually found on buildings at Buddhist temples. The walls are made in a board and batten style, with the battens forming a large “X” shape in each bay. They are painted in red, and the same construction style is applied to the front and rear doors of the heiden as well. The gable pediments employ diagonal latticework and a rounded ridge support lintel (koyazuka) that is richly carved in a wisteria motif and lacquered in black. Between the roof and the lattice pediment are carved reliefs of dragons and cranes. All in all, one of the most eccentric and interesting groups of buildings you are likely to run across in a shrine.

Important spiritual features: Takeiwatatsu, Asotsuhime, and Kuni no Miyatsuko are a father, wife and son group who are considered the ancestors of the people of Kumamoto. Takeiwatatsu was the grandson of Emperor Jinmu, who was sent here from Yamato to "settle" Kyushu. While Takeiwatatsu is part of the Yamato lineage that flows from Ninigi no mikoto, the kami who descended to Mount Takachiho in neighboring Miyazaki Prefecture, Asotsuhime and her son are considered native kami of Kumamoto. The Kujiki (nineth or tenth century) states that during the reign of Emperor Sujin, Hayamikatama no mikoto was appointed the first local lord of Aso Province. Presumably, this is why the title "Kuni no miyatsuko" is added to the name of the kami here. The three kami are enshrined in one honden. They are also among the twelve kami enshrined in Aso Jinja and in other shrines in Kyushu. The legend of Takeiwatatsu coming to Kyushu is similar to legends found throughout the country whereby a kami representing the ruling clans conquers, negotiates with, or marries with local kami. Such legends had the effect of showing the dominance of the rulers while also preserving the traditions of the subordinated peoples.   

Arched bridge, lotus pond and torii

Description: The shrine’s name might seem somewhat misleading, since Aso is so strongly associated with the volcano of the same name far to the north. Aoi Aso Jinja is in fact located close to the southern bank of the Kuma River in the southern Kumamoto city of Hitoyoshi. It stands a short distance from Hitoyoshi Station, with the first torii just to the south before a stone bridge that spans a small body of water filled with lotus blossoms. The arched bridge leads directly to the second torii and the entrance to the grounds proper. Slightly further south is the Kuma River, said to be one of the three fastest flowing in Japan, and boat trips accompanied by a master poler are popular. Although the shrine claims a foundation date of 806, it is likely that some form of worship was practiced here from an earlier date. The present structures were rebuilt at the behest of Sagara Yorifusa (1574-1636), leader of the Sagara clan that ruled the area known as the Hitoyoshi Domain for seven centuries since it was granted to them by Minamoto no Yoritomo. It is a bunsha, (literally, “divided spirit”) or branch shrine of Aso Jinja. Formerly called Aoi Myojin, it was a shinbutsu shugo shrine combining Shinto and Buddhist beliefs. The legacy is clearly preserved today in the shrine’s architecture and in a similar building, the Shiyozen-in kannon-do, a Buddhist temple constructed by the Sagara in 1625. For more on shinbutsu shugo see my book, "Shinto Shrines: A Guide to the Sacred Sites of Japan's Ancient Religion."

            Hitoyoshi became an important river-port town and acquired a castle in the twelfth century; the remains of the castle keep are now a tourist attraction. There are also about fifty hot springs located along the river. Late-Jomon settlements (400 b.c.) have been excavated in the area, and there are numerous tumuli from the Kofun period (a.d. 300–538). The region is rich in natural resources and attractions. Kyusendo Cave for example, is a natural limestone cave that, at three miles long, is one of the largest in the country. It runs under the city and can be explored in groups (tours around ¥1,050).

Festival: Okunchi Matsuri, 3–11 October. A number of events are held, including kagura dance performance. In one traditional event, children have their head put into the mouth of a wooden shishigashira (headdress used to perform a traditional lion dance), which is said to protect them from illness and other harm in the coming year.