Akama Shrine

It is located in Amidaji-cho, Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The deity enshrined is Emperor Antoku. In 1185 (Bun'ei 1), he died in the Battle of Dannoura, drowned in the arms of his grandmother Niinoama (wife of Taira no Kiyomori), and was buried at Amida-ji Temple at the foot of Akamagaseki Beniishi Mountain. In 1191 (Kenkyu 2), Emperor Gotoba ordered the erection of the Miedo Hall on top of his tomb and made Amida-ji Temple a temple of imperial prayer. Since then, it has been highly revered by the Imperial Family, but Amida-ji Temple was abolished due to the separation of Shinto and Buddhism during the Meiji Restoration, and in 1875 (Meiji 8), the Miedo Hall was renamed Akama-miya and it was ranked as a Kanpei-chusha (medium-rank shrine). In 1940 (Showa 15), it was promoted to Kanpei-taisha (major shrine) and given the title of Jingu (shrine). The Sentei-sai Festival held from April 23rd to 25th is famous and is held in memory of Emperor Antoku and the Heike clan. The shrine treasures include the 20 volumes of the Nagato version of the Tale of the Heike (a nationally designated important cultural property).

[Sakamoto Koremaru]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

山口県下関市阿弥陀寺(あみだじ)町に鎮座。祭神は安徳(あんとく)天皇。1185年（文治1）壇ノ浦の戦いで祖母二位尼(にいのあま)（平清盛の妻）に抱かれて入水、崩御し、赤間関紅石(べにいし)山麓(さんろく)の阿弥陀寺に葬られたが、1191年（建久2）後鳥羽(ごとば)天皇は勅して御陵の上に御影堂(みえいどう)を建立、阿弥陀寺を勅願寺とした。以来皇室の厚い崇敬を受けてきたが、明治維新の神仏分離により阿弥陀寺は廃され、1875年（明治8）御影堂を赤間宮と改称、官幣中社に列した。1940年（昭和15）官幣大社に昇格、神宮号を宣下された。4月23～25日の先帝祭(せんていさい)は有名で、安徳天皇、平家一門をしのんで斎行される。社宝に長門(ながと)本『平家物語』20巻（国指定重要文化財）がある。

［阪本是丸］

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