User:Immanuelle/Tsurugi Shrine

Tsurugi Shrine
Tsurugi Shrine
	haidensimple:Tsurugi Shrine
Religion
Affiliation	Shinto
Deity	Susanoo-no-Mikoto,; Onamuchi,; Prince Oshikuma [ja]
Location
	Shown within Japan
Geographic coordinates	35°57′28.22″N 136°3′19.42″E / 35.9578389°N 136.0553944°E
	Glossary of Shinto

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This is a draft being worked on by Immanuelle. It may be too complex at the moment but she wants to get it ready to be an article someday. Others are free to edit it
This page was last edited by Immanuelle (talk | contribs) 6 months ago.

Merge this content to the proper page simple:Tsurugi Shrine and fix simple:User:Immanuelle/Sugōisobe Shrine too and simple:User:Immanuelle/Oagata Shrine

Tsurugi Shrine (劔神社) is a Shinto shrine located in Ota [en], Fukui Prefecture, Japan.^[1]^[2] It is a Beppyo shrine, or a shrine that is particularly notable in a certain way with a significant history to it.^[3] It is a Ninomiya, or a second rank shrine in its province after the Ichinomiya.

History

Establishment

According to shrine tradition, the sacred sword that serves as the deity was created by the imperial prince Prince Inishikiirihiko [ja] son of Emperor Suinin, who gave it to Oonamuchi-no-Mikoto during the reign of Empress Jingu. Oonamuchi-no-Mikoto then successfully subdued bandits in the Koshi Province (Echizen Country). Later, the spirit of Susanoo-no-Mikoto, originally enshrined at Ibegori on Mount Ibuki, was moved to the current location by the Ibeminister, and the sacred sword was enshrined as the spirit's symbol. Oonamuchi-no-Mikoto is also worshipped as an Oyagami for his contributions to developing the land, alongside his father, Emperor Naka no Ōe (Kehi-no-Kami).

General History

An ancient temple bell (a National Treasure) in the shrine's possession bears the inscription "Tsurugi Mikoji Temple Bell, Jingokyoen 4th Year, 9th Month, 11th Day," revealing that a Jingu-ji [en; ja; fr] (a type of Buddhist temple associated with a Shinto shrine) already existed by 770 (the fourth year of the Jingokyoen era) during the Nara period.

In national history, the shrine is recorded to have been granted 20 households and 2 cho (units of area) of land with the rank of Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade, and Sixth Merit in 771 (the second year of the Houki era). Furthermore, in 859 (the third year of the Ten'an era), the shrine's divine rank was elevated from Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade, Sixth Merit to Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade, Sixth Merit.

The "Shinsen Shoukafu," dated to the first year of the Daido era (806), mentions that 30 households from Echizen Country were allocated to "Tsurugi Mikoshi" at that time, with 10 households assigned in the first year of the Tenpyo-Jingo era (765) and the remaining 20 in the third year of the Houki era (772).

In the Engishiki, compiled in 927, the shrine is listed in the Tsuruga District of Echizen Country as "Tsurugi Shrine," marking its status as a Shikinaisha (though some theorize it could also refer to another Tsurugi Shrine in Aonono, Tsuruga City).

Throughout the medieval period, the shrine was revered and protected by the successive lords of the region, including the Shibata, Asakura, and Oda clans. Notably, Oda Nobunaga is said to have descended from priests of the shrine and revered it as the clan's tutelary deity^[4]. Letters from Shibata Katsuie [en; ja] also indicate the shrine's importance. The Oda clan [en; ja] of Owari originally hailed from Oda in Echizen and took on their surname when they moved to Owari as guardians under the Shibata clan, signifying a deep connection with the shrine. In the Edo period, the shrine was revered by both the Fukui and Ono domains, and by the end of the period, it had become a prayer site for the Fushimi Imperial family. It was designated a Kokuhei Shosha in 1928 and became a Beppyo shrine of the Association of Shinto Shrines after World War II.^[3]