Tamaoya Shrine - Tamaoya Shrine

Located in Osaki, Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. It enshrines Tamaoya no Mikoto and other deities. It is a shrine listed in the Engi Shikinai (Engi-shiki) and is the Ichinomiya (first shrine) of Suo Province (southeastern Yamaguchi Prefecture). According to the shrine's legend, this deity was one of the five companion deities who accompanied the descent of the heavenly grandson, and later, when the deity was avoided in Osaki, Sanami County (the current shrine site), a shrine building was built and enshrined there. In the "Tales of Times Now Past," this shrine appears as "Ichinomiya Tamaoya Myojin," and it is clear that it was a representative shrine in Suo Province during the Heian period. During the Edo period, it was highly revered by the feudal lord Mori, and was promoted to a small national shrine in 1871 (Meiji 4), and to a medium national shrine in 1915 (Taisho 4). The annual festival is held on September 25th. It is known for the fortune-telling ritual of sumo wrestlers, which is held on the night before the annual festival. The shrine treasures include the list of reconstructions made by Chogen in 1195 (Kenkyu 6) and Hiroyuki Ouchi in 1335 (Kenmu 2) (both of which are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan), as well as a sword donated by Minamoto no Yoshitsune.

[Sakamoto Koremaru]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

山口県防府(ほうふ)市大字大崎に鎮座。玉祖命(たまのおやのみこと)と他一座を祀(まつ)る。延喜(えんぎ)式内社で、周防(すおう)国（山口県南東部）一宮(いちのみや)である。社伝によれば、この神は天孫降臨に際して供奉(ぐぶ)した五伴緒神(いつとものおのかみ)の一柱であり、のちに佐波(さなみ)郡大崎（現社地）において神避(さ)りしにより、社殿を建てて奉斎したという。『今昔物語』には、「一宮玉祖明神」と当社のことがみえ、平安時代には周防国の代表的神社であったことがわかる。江戸時代には藩主毛利氏の厚い崇敬を受け、1871年（明治4）国幣小社に、1915年（大正4）同中社に昇格した。例祭日は9月25日。例祭日前夜に行われる相撲(すもう)による占手(うらての)神事が知られる。社宝には重源(ちょうげん)の建久(けんきゅう)6年（1195）重建目録、大内弘幸(ひろゆき)の建武(けんむ)2年（1335）重建目録（いずれも国の重要文化財）、源義経(よしつね)奉納の太刀(たち)などがある。

［阪本是丸］

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