Shiogama Shrine

Located on Ichinomoriyama in Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture. Takemikazuchi no Kami is enshrined in the left shrine, Futsunushi no Kami in the right shrine, and Shiotsuchino Oji no Kami in the auxiliary shrine. It is the largest shrine in the Tohoku region. The founding date is unknown. The Koninshiki, compiled in 820 (Kōnin 11), states that 10,000 bundles of rice were set aside as a fee for worshiping the god of Shiogama. As the most important shrine in Mutsu Province, it was highly revered by the Imperial Court, and was subsequently revered by the Oshu Fujiwara clan, the Kamakura and Muromachi Shogunates, and in the early modern period by the Date clan of the Sendai domain. It was formerly a nationally-listed medium-sized shrine. The current shrine building was built by two generations of Date Tsunamura and Yoshimura, and is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property. The iron lantern with the date 1187 (Bunji 3) at the head of the shrine was donated by Tadahira, the third son of Fujiwara Hidehira. The annual festival is held on July 10th. The Goshuppei ceremony, where people pray for peace in the world by waving sacred offerings in front of the tower gate, and the Yabusame ritual are held. Other famous festivals include the Hote Festival on March 10th, the Hana Festival on April 25th (changed to the fourth Sunday in 1985) which is famous for its rough mikoshi (portable shrine), and the Minato Festival on August 5th (currently Marine Day, the third Monday in July), where the mikoshi is paraded around Matsushima Bay on a gozabune (portable shrine boat). A special ritual, the Moshioyaki ritual, is held on July 6th at Okama Shrine, a sub-shrine outside the precincts. There is an attached museum within the temple grounds, which displays shrine treasures including two swords that are nationally designated Important Cultural Properties.

[Takahashi Miyuki]

“Shigama Shrine” by Kosuke Oshiki (1972, Gakuseisha)”

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

宮城県塩竈市一森山に鎮座。左宮に武甕槌神(たけみかづちのかみ)、右宮に経津主神(ふつぬしのかみ)、別宮に塩土老翁神(しおつちのおじのかみ)を祀(まつ)る。東北地方きっての大社。創祀(そうし)年代不詳。820年（弘仁11）編纂(へんさん)の『弘仁式(こうにんしき)』に塩竈の神を祀る料として稲1万束をあてるとあるなど、陸奥(むつ)国随一の社として朝廷の崇敬厚くその後も奥州藤原氏、鎌倉・室町幕府、近世に入っては仙台藩伊達(だて)氏の尊崇を受けた。旧国幣中社。現在の社殿は伊達綱村・吉村2代の造営になるもので、国指定の重要文化財。社頭に残る文治(ぶんじ)3年（1187）銘の鉄灯籠(とうろう)は藤原秀衡(ひでひら)三男の忠衡が奉献したもの。例祭は7月10日。楼門前で神幣を振り天下太平を祈る御出幣(ごしゅっぺい)式や流鏑馬(やぶさめ)神事が行われる。ほかに3月10日の帆手(ほて)祭、荒れ神輿(みこし)で有名な4月25日（1985年より第4日曜日に変更）の花祭、神輿が御座船で松島湾内を巡幸する8月5日（現在は7月第3月曜日の海の日）のみなと祭などの祭礼も著名。特殊神事の藻塩焼(もしおやき)神事は7月6日に境外末社の御釜(おかま)神社で執り行われる。境内には付属博物館があり、国指定重要文化財の太刀(たち)2振りを含む社宝類が展示されている。

［高橋美由紀］

『押木耿介著『鹽竈神社』（1972・学生社）』

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