Shizuoka Sengen Shrine
Encyclopedia
is the name for a collective group of three Shinto shrines now forming a single religious corporation, located at Mount Shizuhata in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka
in Shizuoka Prefecture
, Japan
. These shrines are the Kambe Jinja (神部神社), Sengen Jinja (浅間神社), and Ohtoshimioya Jinja (大歳御祖神社). The main festival of the shrine is held annually on April 5.
of Kambe Jinja is the Ohnamuchi-no-Mikoto
, who is regarded as the mythical founding deity of Suruga Province
.
The primary kami
of Sengen Jinja is the Konohanasakuya-hime
, the deity of Mount Fuji
.
The primary kami
of Ohtoshimioya Shrine is the Ohtoshimioya-no-Mikoto, who appears in the Kojiki
as a daughter of Susano-o, and a kami protecting markets and commerce.
burial mound
has been excavated at Mount Shizuhata
. Per the Nihon Shoki
, the area was colonized by the Hata clan during this period. According to unsubstantiated shrine legend, the foundation of the Kambe Jinja dates to the reign of Emperor Sujin
, that of the Ohtoshimioya Shrine to the reign of Emperor Ojin
, both from the Kofun period.
Per the Engishiki
records, Kambe Jinja was given national recognition and status of the Sōja of Suruga Province in the Heian period
. Also, the date of 901 is given for the foundation of the Sengen Jinja, as a subsidiary branch of the Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha
, and initially was referred to as the “Shingu” (new shrine).
Through the Kamakura
and Muromachi period
s, the shrines enjoyed the patronage of the powerful warrior clans who dominated the Suruga area: the Minamoto clan
, Hojo clan
, Imagawa clan
, Takeda clan and the Tokugawa clan
. In particular, the first Tokugawa Shōgun
, Tokugawa Ieyasu
, sponsored the rebuilding of the shrines after his retirement to nearby Sumpu Castle, and subsequent Shogun continued to worship at the shrines throughout the Edo period
. The 3rd Shōgun, Tokugawa Iemitsu
granted the shrines lands with 2313 koku
in revenue for their upkeep. However, the shrine complex burned down in a fire of 1804. It was rebuilt over a 60 year period at a cost of over 100,000 gold ryō
by the Tokugawa Shogunate
in the its flamboyant Momoyama style, with extensive use of lacquer
, wood carvings, and gold leaf
. Today, 26 structures in the shrine complex are protected by the national government as Important Cultural Properties
, forming one of the largest such complexes in the country.
(ICP), forming one of the largest such complexes in the country.
The shrine has a small museum, which displays finds from the Shizuhatayama Kofun archaeological site, artifacts pertaining to Tokugawa Ieyasu and the history of the shrine, as well as the shrine’s non-structural ICPs, including a Muromachi-period tachi
Japanese sword and 17 diagrams of the shrine prior to its late Edo-period rebuilding.
Aoi-ku, Shizuoka
is one of three wards of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan, located in the northern part of the city. Aoi-ku borders Suruga-ku in the south and Shimizu-ku to the southeast; the west faces Shimada, Fujieda and Kawanehon and its northern tip extends into the border between Nagano Prefecture and Yamanashi...
in Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
, 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...
. These shrines are the Kambe Jinja (神部神社), Sengen Jinja (浅間神社), and Ohtoshimioya Jinja (大歳御祖神社). The main festival of the shrine is held annually on April 5.
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 Kambe Jinja is the Ohnamuchi-no-Mikoto
Ookuninushi
Ōkuninushi is a divinity in Japanese Shinto. His name literally translates to "Great Land Master", and he is believed to be originally the ruler of Izumo Province, until he was replaced by Ninigi. In compensation, he was made ruler of the unseen world of spirits and magic...
, who is regarded as the mythical founding deity of Suruga Province
Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka prefecture. It was sometimes called . Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay.-History:...
.
The primary kami
Kami
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 Sengen Jinja is the Konohanasakuya-hime
Konohanasakuya-hime
Konohanasakuya-hime , in Japanese mythology, is the blossom-princess and symbol of delicate earthly life. She is the daughter of the mountain god Ohoyamatsumi. She is often considered an avatar of Japanese life, especially since her symbol is the Sakura, She is the wife of Ninigi...
, the deity of Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
.
The primary kami
Kami
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 Ohtoshimioya Shrine is the Ohtoshimioya-no-Mikoto, who appears in the Kojiki
Kojiki
is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei. The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami...
as a daughter of Susano-o, and a kami protecting markets and commerce.
History
The date of the Shizuoka Sengen Jinja’s foundation is unknown. The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and a Kofun periodKofun period
The is an era in the history of Japan from around 250 to 538. It follows the Yayoi period. The word kofun is Japanese for the type of burial mounds dating from this era. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes referred to collectively as the Yamato period...
burial mound
Kofun
Kofun are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Japan, constructed between the early 3rd century and early 7th century. They gave their name to the Kofun period . Many of the Kofun have a distinctive keyhole-shaped mound , unique to ancient Japan...
has been excavated at Mount Shizuhata
Shizuhatagayama Kofun
is a circular kofun burial mound located within the grounds of the Shizuoka Sengen Shrine complex in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka, Japan. It is protected by the central government as a national historic site....
. Per the Nihon Shoki
Nihon Shoki
The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...
, the area was colonized by the Hata clan during this period. According to unsubstantiated shrine legend, the foundation of the Kambe Jinja dates to the reign of Emperor Sujin
Emperor Sujin
; also known as Mimakiiribikoinie no Sumeramikoto or Hatsukunishirasu Sumeramikoto; was the tenth emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
, that of the Ohtoshimioya Shrine to the reign of Emperor Ojin
Emperor Ojin
, also known as Homutawake or , was the 15th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 270 to 310....
, both from the Kofun period.
Per the Engishiki
Engishiki
-History:In 905 Emperor Daigo ordered the compilation of a new set of laws. Fujiwara no Tokihira began the task, but work stalled when he died four years later in 909. His brother Fujiwara no Tadahira continued the work in 912 eventually completing it in 927...
records, Kambe Jinja was given national recognition and status of the Sōja of Suruga Province in the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
. Also, the date of 901 is given for the foundation of the Sengen Jinja, as a subsidiary branch of the Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha
Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha
The is a Shintō shrine in the city of Fujinomiya in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is the ichinomiya of former Suruga Province, and is the head shrine of the 1300 Asama or Sengen shrines in the country...
, and initially was referred to as the “Shingu” (new shrine).
Through the Kamakura
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
and Muromachi period
Muromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
s, the shrines enjoyed the patronage of the powerful warrior clans who dominated the Suruga area: the Minamoto clan
Minamoto clan
was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were demoted into the ranks of the nobility. The practice was most prevalent during the Heian Period , although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku Era. The Taira were another such offshoot of...
, Hojo clan
Hojo clan
See the late Hōjō clan for the Hōjō clan of the Sengoku Period.The in the history of Japan was a family who controlled the hereditary title of shikken of the Kamakura Shogunate. In practice, the family had actual governmental power, many times dictatorial, rather than Kamakura shoguns, or the...
, Imagawa clan
Imagawa clan
The was a Japanese clan that claimed descent from Emperor Seiwa . It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan.-Origins:Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in the 13th century at Imagawa and took its name.Imagawa Norikuni received from his cousin the...
, Takeda clan and the Tokugawa clan
Tokugawa clan
The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
. In particular, the first Tokugawa Shōgun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
, Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
, sponsored the rebuilding of the shrines after his retirement to nearby Sumpu Castle, and subsequent Shogun continued to worship at the shrines throughout the Edo period
Edo 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....
. The 3rd Shōgun, Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...
granted the shrines lands with 2313 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
in revenue for their upkeep. However, the shrine complex burned down in a fire of 1804. It was rebuilt over a 60 year period at a cost of over 100,000 gold ryō
Ryo
Ryo may refer to:* The Japanese kana digraph ryo, ryō, or ryoh * Ryō , a gold piece in pre-Meiji era Japan worth about sixty monme or four kan...
by the Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
in the its flamboyant Momoyama style, with extensive use of lacquer
Lacquer
In a general sense, lacquer is a somewhat imprecise term for a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required...
, wood carvings, and gold leaf
Gold leaf
right|thumb|250px|[[Burnishing]] gold leaf with an [[agate]] stone tool, during the water gilding processGold leaf is gold that has been hammered into extremely thin sheets and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades...
. Today, 26 structures in the shrine complex are protected by the national government as 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....
, forming one of the largest such complexes in the country.
Subsidiary shrines
In addition to the three main shrines, the Shizuoka Sengen Jinja complex also has four subsidiary shrines:- Hayama Jinja (麓山神社) dedicated to Ōyamatsumi-no-MikotoOhoyamatsumiOhoyamatsumi is in Japanese mythology an elder brother of Amaterasu, and an important god who rules mountain, sea, and war. He is also the father of Konohanasakuya-hime, the kami of Mount Fuji....
and to Yamato-takeru. It was founded in 1878 - Yachiho Jinja (八千戈神社), an amalgamation of 18 small shrines and 13 small chapels found in the surrounding area. It was founded in 1873.
- Sukunahiko Jinja (少彦名神社), formerly the Yakushi-do of Kambe Jinja, turned into a shrine in Meiji period due to separation of Buddhism from ShintoShinbutsu BunriThe 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...
. - Tamahoko Jinja (玉鉾神) dedicated to the four main Edo period kokugakuKokugakuKokugaku was a National revival, or, school of Japanese philology and philosophy originating during the Tokugawa period...
scholars.
Cultural properties
Today, 26 structures in the shrine complex are protected by the national government as Important Cultural PropertiesImportant 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....
(ICP), forming one of the largest such complexes in the country.
The shrine has a small museum, which displays finds from the Shizuhatayama Kofun archaeological site, artifacts pertaining to Tokugawa Ieyasu and the history of the shrine, as well as the shrine’s non-structural ICPs, including a Muromachi-period tachi
Tachi
The is one type of traditional Japanese sword worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan.-History and description:With a few exceptions katana and tachi can be distinguished from each other if signed, by the location of the signature on the tang...
Japanese sword and 17 diagrams of the shrine prior to its late Edo-period rebuilding.