Isonokami Shrine

Located on Mount Furu in Furu-cho, Tenri City, Nara Prefecture, the shrine enshrines Futsunomitama no Okami as its chief deity, along with Futsushimitama no Okami, Furumitama no Okami, Inishiki no Mikoto, Umashimaji no Mikoto, Emperor Shirakawa, and Ichikawa no Omi no Mikoto. According to the Kojiki and Nihonshoki, in the first year of Emperor Jinmu's reign, the spirit of the heavenly sword, which had contributed greatly to the founding of the country, was enshrined in the Imperial Palace as Futsumitama-no-Okami, but later, in November of the seventh year of the reign of Emperor Sujin, Ikagashiko-no-Mikoto, ancestor of the Mononobe clan, moved Furu-Mitama-no-Okami to Isonokami Furu Takaniwa by imperial decree and enshrined it there, marking the beginning of this shrine. Since then, it has been served by successive generations of the Mononobe clan, and in the 39th year of the reign of Emperor Suinin, Isonishi-no-Mikoto made 1,000 swords and stored them in the sacred storehouse. As for Kanbe, the Shoku Nihongi states that there were 50 households sealed by the gods, and the Shinsho Kakuchokokufusho states that there were 80 households. In 867 (Jogan 9), it was ranked as Shoichii in the Shinkai (first rank) and in the Engi system, it was ranked as a Myojin Taisha (famous shrine), and participated in the Toshigoi (prayer year), Tsukinami (monthly festival), Ainame (Ainame), and Niiname (new year festival). At the end of the Heian period, Emperor Shirakawa donated the Shinkaden (shrine hall) in the Imperial Palace for the purpose of the repose of the dead. In the Middle Ages, the shrine was destroyed by samurai intrusions and the shrine's head was confiscated. The sacred sword, Nunotsumitama-tsurugi (sword), was buried behind the worship hall at some point, and for a long time, the area was considered a forbidden area. In 1874 (Meiji 7), the forbidden area was excavated, and many treasures, including jewels, weapons, and ornaments, were discovered. Formerly a Kanpei Taisha (Grand Shrine). The annual festival is held on October 15th, and is said to have originated from the visit of an imperial envoy from Emperor Shirakawa. Other festivals include the Sacred Sword Festival on June 30th, the Boujisarae Ceremony on October 1st, and the Requiem Ceremony and Tama-no-o Festival on October 22nd.

The worship hall, the worship hall of the auxiliary shrine Izumo Takeo Shrine, and the Seven-branched sword said to have been offered by the King of Baekje are designated national treasures, and the tower gate, artifacts excavated from the forbidden area, iron shields, and various daunting belly warmers are all designated important cultural properties by the nation, as well as many other cultural assets.

[Ishu Ochiai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

奈良県天理市布留(ふる)町布留山に鎮座。布都御魂大神(ふつのみたまのおおかみ)を主神に、布都斯魂大神(ふつしみたまのおおかみ)、布留御魂大神(ふるのみたまのおおかみ)、五十瓊敷命(いにしきのみこと)、宇摩志麻治命(うましまじのみこと)、白河(しらかわ)天皇、市川臣命(いちかわのおみのみこと)を祀(まつ)っている。記紀によると、神武(じんむ)天皇即位元年、建国にあたって功績のあった天剣の威霊を布都御魂大神として宮中に奉祀(ほうし)したが、その後の崇神(すじん)天皇7年11月、物部(もののべ)の祖、伊香色雄命(いかがしこおのみこと)が勅により布留御魂大神を、石上布留高庭(たかにわ)の地に移し祀ったのを当宮の初めとする。以来、物部氏歴代の奉仕するところとなり、垂仁(すいにん)天皇39年に五十瓊敷命が剣1000口をつくり、神倉(ほくら)に納めた。神戸(かんべ)については、『続日本紀(しょくにほんぎ)』に神封50戸、『新抄格勅符抄』に80戸とある。867年（貞観9）に神階正一位、延喜(えんぎ)の制では名神(みょうじん)大社に列し、祈年(としごい)、月次(つきなみ)、相嘗(あいなめ)、新嘗(にいなめ)の祭にあずかった。平安末期には、鎮魂祭のために白河天皇が宮中の神嘉殿(しんかでん)を寄進した。中世期には、武士乱入により社頭の破壊や、社禄(しゃろく)の没収などにあった。また御神体の布都御魂剣(つるぎ)は、いつの世か拝殿背後に埋められ、長い間その場所は禁足地とされてきた。1874年（明治7）に禁足地は発掘され、玉類、武具、装飾具など多数の宝物類が発見された。旧官幣大社。例祭は10月15日で、白河天皇の勅使参向に起源するものという。6月30日に神剣渡御祭、10月1日に榜示浚(ぼうじさらえ)神事、10月22日に鎮魂祭、玉の緒(たまのお)祭などが行われる。

　拝殿、摂社出雲建雄(いずもたけお)神社拝殿、百済(くだら)王が奉ったと伝える七支刀(ななつさやのたち)が国宝に、楼門、禁足地出土品、鉄楯(てつじゅん)、色々威(いろいろおどし)腹巻などが国の重要文化財に指定されており、その他多くの文化財がある。

［落合偉洲］

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