Imizu Shrine

It is located in Furushiro, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture. The deity enshrined is Futakami-no-kami. It is said to have been founded at the foot of Mt. Nijo, which is also mentioned in the Manyoshu, but the date is unknown. "Imizu" means sacred water, or a sacred river, and is the name of a region in northwestern Toyama Prefecture. In the Sendai Kuji Hongi, it is written that during the reign of Emperor Seimu, Okawa Tonosukune, the granddaughter of Takeuchi no Sukune, who was of the same ancestry as the Soga clan, was appointed as the governor of Imizu no Kuni no Miyatsuko, and Futakami-no-kami is said to be her ancestor. In December 780 (Hōki 11), it was promoted to the rank of Junior Fifth Rank, and in 859 (Jogan 1) during the reign of Emperor Seiwa, it was awarded the rank of Shosanmi (Senior Third Rank). In the Engishiki, it is listed as a Myōjin Taisha (Famous Shrine). It was formerly a nationally-beloved medium-sized shrine. In 1875 (Meiji 8), it was moved from the foot of Mt. Nijo to its current site (the site of the main citadel of Takaoka Castle). Its annual festival is held on April 23rd. Imizu Shrine, located at the former site, was a branch shrine enshrined at the request of parishioners, but became independent in 1896. It houses a seated male deity statue from the mid-Heian period (a national important cultural property) and continues to carry on the old-fashioned Tsukiyama rituals.

[Toshihiko Uda]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

富山県高岡市古城に鎮座。祭神は二上神(ふたかみのかみ)。『万葉集』にも詠まれた二上山の山麓(さんろく)に創建されたと伝えるが、年代は不詳。「いみず」は忌水すなわち神聖な川の意で、富山県北西部の地域名である。『先代旧事本紀(せんだいくじほんぎ)』に成務(せいむ)天皇の代に宗我(そが)（蘇我）氏と同祖の武内宿禰(たけしうちのすくね)の孫大河音足尼(おおかわとのすくね)が伊弥頭国造(いみずのくにのみやつこ)に定められたとあり、二上神はその祖神であるともいわれる。780（宝亀11）12月従(じゅ)五位下に叙し、累進して清和(せいわ)天皇の859年（貞観1）に正三位(しょうさんみ)を授かり、『延喜式(えんぎしき)』では名神(みょうじん)大社に列している。旧国幣中社。1875年（明治8）に二上山麓から現社地（高岡城本丸跡）に遷座。例祭4月23日。旧社地にある射水神社は、氏子の願いによって祀(まつ)られた分社であったが、1896年独立、平安中期の男神坐像(ざぞう)（国の重要文化財）を所蔵し、古風な筑山(つきやま)神事を伝えている。

［菟田俊彦］

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