Taga Taisha Shrine

Located in Taga Town, Inukami County, Shiga Prefecture. The deities enshrined are Izanagi no Okami and Izanami no Okami. The oldest record is in the Kojiki, which states that "Izanagi no Okami resides in Taga in Afumi," but the Engishiki states that there are two Tana Shrines. Since 766 (Tenpyo Jingo 2), when six households were sent to the shrine, the shrine has been widely revered by the imperial court, samurai, and the general public, and is particularly popular as a god of longevity. Popular songs include, "If you visit Ise, visit Otaga. Ise is the son of Otaga," and "I visit Ise seven times, Kumano three times, and Otaga-sama monthly visits," and the shrine is affectionately known as "Otaga-san." The history of Tagako is also long. Formerly a government-sponsored shrine, the name of the shrine was changed from Taga Shrine to Taga Taisha in 1947 (Showa 22).

The traditional festival on April 22nd is called the Taga Festival, and is a spectacular festival picture scroll based on the traditions from the Kamakura period. There are also a variety of other events throughout the year, such as the Setsubun Festival (February Setsubun Day), the Otaue Festival (the second Sunday in June), the Manto Festival (August 3rd to 5th), and the Enju Festival (August 20th to September 15th).

The museum's cultural properties include the Chobakyubazu byobu (Screen of Horses in the Stable), a nationally designated important cultural property, and the Thirty-six Immortal Poets Screen, a prefectural cultural property, as well as many other highly valued documents, such as a letter of donation from Ittsujinomiya in 1333 (Ganko 3/Shokei 2) for the successful execution of the Imperial Guard's enemy, a prayer for the safe delivery of Takeda Shingen's daughter, and a prayer for the recovery of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mother from illness. The grounds include a shoin garden (nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty) built in the Azuchi-Momoyama period, and the "Lifespan Stone," associated with the time when Chogen prayed for an extended life when he aspired to rebuild Todaiji Temple. The "Otaga shakushi" is a famous item that is said to have originated as a prayer for the Emperor Gensho's recovery from illness.

[Shogo Tani]

"Taga Shrine History" edited by the Taga Shrine Office (1933, Ookayama Shoten)" ▽ "Taga Shrine Series Editorial Committee, edited and published "Taga Shrine Series" (1977~)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

滋賀県犬上(いぬかみ)郡多賀町に鎮座。祭神は伊邪那岐大神(いざなぎのおおかみ)、伊邪那美(いざなみの)大神の二柱。『古事記』に「伊邪那岐の大神は淡海(あふみ)の多賀に坐(ま)します」とあるのがもっとも古い記録であるが、『延喜式(えんぎしき)』には「多何神社二座」とある。766年（天平神護2）に神封六戸が寄せられたのを初めとして、古来朝廷から武家、民衆に至るまで広く厚い崇敬を集め、とくに延寿の神としての信仰が盛んである。「お伊勢(いせ)参らばお多賀へ参れ、お伊勢お多賀の子でござる」とか「伊勢にゃ七度熊野へ三度、お多賀さまへは月参り」と俗謡に歌われ、「お多賀さん」と親しまれた。多賀講の歴史も古い。旧官幣大社。1947年（昭和22）に社号を多賀神社から多賀大社と改めた。

　4月22日の古例大祭は「多賀まつり」とよばれ、鎌倉時代以来の伝統に基づく豪華絢爛(けんらん)の祭り絵巻を繰り広げる。また節分祭（2月節分日）、御田植祭（6月第2日曜日）、万灯祭（8月3～5日）、莚寿(えんじゅ)祭（8月20日～9月15日）その他、年中行事も多彩である。

　所蔵文化財には、国指定重要文化財の調馬厩馬図屏風(ちょうばきゅうばずびょうぶ)、県文化財の三十六歌仙絵屏風などのほか、1333年（元弘3・正慶2）の五辻宮(いつつじのみや)の朝敵誅伐(ちゅうばつ)成就の御寄進状、武田信玄(しんげん)の娘安産の祈願文、豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の母病気平癒の祈願文など文書に珍重すべきものも多い。境内には安土(あづち)桃山時代築造の書院庭園（国指定名勝）や、重源(ちょうげん)が東大寺再建を志し延命を祈願したときのゆかりの石「寿命石」がある。元正(げんしょう)天皇の御病気平癒を祈りその吉瑞(きちずい)に始まるという「お多賀杓子(しゃくし)」は名物である。

［谷　省吾］

『多賀神社社務所編『多賀神社史』（1933・大岡山書店）』▽『多賀大社叢書編集委員会編・刊『多賀大社叢書』（1977～）』

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