Iwakiyama Jinja
Encyclopedia
is a Shintō shrine in the city of Hirosaki
in Aomori Prefecture
, Japan
. It is the ichinomiya of former Tsugaru Domain
. All of Mount Iwaki
is considered to be a portion of the shrine.
The main festival of the shrine, the Oyama-sankei, features a parade from the shrine to the top of the mountain, and is held annually at the time of the autumn equinox. The pilgrims carry colorful banners and are accompanied by traditional drums and flutes
of Iwakiyama Shrine is the , referred to here as . Other kami include , , , , and .
tribes. Per shrine tradition, the shrine was established on the summit of Mount Iwaki in the year 780. It was rebuilt by the folk-hero Sakanoue no Tamuramaro
in the year 800 and dedicated to his father Sakanoue no Karitamaro
. Several subsidiary shrines were built around the base of the mountain in an area called the by the local inhabitants. One of these subsidiary shrines to the southeast of the mountain developed into the Shingon sect Buddhist
temple of in 1091, and became the predecessor of the present shrine. The three main peaks on Mount Iwaki were identified with the Buddhist deities of Amida Nyorai, Yakushi Nyorai and Kannon Bosatsu.
During the Meiji period
’s government-ordered separation of Buddhism from Shinto
, the temple became a Shinto shrine. In 1871, it was officially designated one of the Kokuhei Shōsha (国幣小社), or 3rd ranked national shrine under the State Shinto
system until 1946.
were built in 1694 under the sponsorship of the Tsugaru clan
of Hirosaki Domain
. The two-story main gate (Ryōmon) was built in 1628. The Honden
, Heiden
, Oku-no-mon and Ryōmon are built in the yosegi-zukuri
style with decorative wood carvings, which have given the shrine its nickname of “Oku-Nikko” after the more famous structures of the Nikkō Tōshō-gū
. All of these buildings are registered as National Important Cultural Properties
.
Hirosaki, Aomori
is a city located in southwest Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is a castle town and was the Tsugaru clan ruled the 100,000 koku tozama han Hirosaki Domain from Hirosaki Castle during the Edo period. The city is currently a regional commercial center and the largest producer of apples in Japan...
in Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is the ichinomiya of former Tsugaru Domain
Hirosaki Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in northern Mutsu Province . It was ruled by the Tsugaru clan...
. All of Mount Iwaki
Mount Iwaki
is a stratovolcano located in western Aomori Prefecture, Tohoku, Japan. It is also referred to as Tsugaru-Fuji from its shape. the mountain is listed as one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains in a book composed in 1964 by mountaineer/author Kyūya Fukada...
is considered to be a portion of the shrine.
The main festival of the shrine, the Oyama-sankei, features a parade from the shrine to the top of the mountain, and is held annually at the time of the autumn equinox. The pilgrims carry colorful banners and are accompanied by traditional drums and flutes
Enshrined kami
The primary kamiKami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
of Iwakiyama Shrine is the , referred to here as . Other kami include , , , , and .
History
The foundation of the Iwakiyama Shrine predates the historical period, and Mount Iwaki was a holy mountain for the local EmishiEmishi
The constituted a group of people who lived in northeastern Honshū in the Tōhoku region. They are referred to as in contemporary sources. Some Emishi tribes resisted the rule of the Japanese Emperors during the late Nara and early Heian periods...
tribes. Per shrine tradition, the shrine was established on the summit of Mount Iwaki in the year 780. It was rebuilt by the folk-hero Sakanoue no Tamuramaro
Sakanoue no Tamuramaro
was a general and shogun of the early Heian Period of Japan. He was the son of Sakanoue no Karitamaro.-Military career:Serving Emperor Kammu, he was appointed shogun and given the task of conquering the Emishi , a people native to the north of Honshū, which he subjugated...
in the year 800 and dedicated to his father Sakanoue no Karitamaro
Sakanoue no Karitamaro
was a samurai commander, and later Chinjufu-shōgun , during Japan's Nara period.Karitomo's father was Sakanoue no Inukai.In 764, Karitamaro aided in the repression of a revolt by Fujiwara no Nakamaro....
. Several subsidiary shrines were built around the base of the mountain in an area called the by the local inhabitants. One of these subsidiary shrines to the southeast of the mountain developed into the Shingon sect Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
temple of in 1091, and became the predecessor of the present shrine. The three main peaks on Mount Iwaki were identified with the Buddhist deities of Amida Nyorai, Yakushi Nyorai and Kannon Bosatsu.
During the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
’s government-ordered separation of Buddhism from Shinto
Shinbutsu Bunri
The term in Japanese indicates the forbidding by law of the amalgamation of kami and buddhas made during the Meiji Restoration. It also indicates the effort made by the Japanese government to create a clear division between native kami beliefs and Buddhism on one side, and Buddhist temples and...
, the temple became a Shinto shrine. In 1871, it was officially designated one of the Kokuhei Shōsha (国幣小社), or 3rd ranked national shrine under the State Shinto
State Shinto
has been called the state religion of the Empire of Japan, although it did not exist as a single institution and no "Shintō" was ever declared a state religion...
system until 1946.
Notable structures
Many of the structures of Iwakiyama Shrine date from the early Edo periodEdo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
were built in 1694 under the sponsorship of the Tsugaru clan
Tsugaru clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan originating in northern Japan, specifically Mutsu Province . A branch of the local Nanbu clan, the Tsugaru rose to power during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. It was on the winning side of the Battle of Sekigahara, and entered the Edo period as a family of lords ...
of Hirosaki Domain
Hirosaki Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in northern Mutsu Province . It was ruled by the Tsugaru clan...
. The two-story main gate (Ryōmon) was built in 1628. The Honden
Honden
The , is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined kami, usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a statue. The building is normally in the rear of the shrine and closed to the general public. In front of its usually stands the haiden, or...
, Heiden
Heiden (Shinto)
A is the part within a Shinto shrine's compound used to house offerings. It normally consists of a connecting section linking the honden to the haiden . If the shrine is built in the so-called Ishi-no-ma-zukuri style, its stone pavement is lower than the floor of the other two rooms, and it is...
, Oku-no-mon and Ryōmon are built in the yosegi-zukuri
Yosegi
is a type of traditional Japanese parquetry which originated in Japan’s culturally rich Edo Period. It has been increasingly well reputed in foreign countries. The mosaic work is made by making best use of natural fine grains and textures of wood...
style with decorative wood carvings, which have given the shrine its nickname of “Oku-Nikko” after the more famous structures of the Nikkō Tōshō-gū
Nikko Tosho-gu
is a Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō", a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Tōshō-gū is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Initially built in 1617, during the Edo period, while Ieyasu's son Hidetada...
. All of these buildings are registered as National Important Cultural Properties
Important Cultural Properties of Japan
The term is often shortened into just are items officially already classified as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and judged to be of particular importance to the Japanese people....
.