Iwakiyama Shrine

It is located in Terasawa, Hyakuzawa, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture. The three main deities enshrined are Utsukunitama-no-Kami, Tatsuhihime-no-Kami, and Ukanome-no-Kami, with Oyamatsumi-no-Kami and Sakanoue no Karitamarō-no-Mikoto also enshrined as secondary deities. The date of its founding is unknown. According to the shrine's legend, it was founded by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro in 800 (Enryaku 19). Since the Middle Ages, it has been highly revered by military families, and has been called Tsugaru Ichinomiya and Tsugaru Sochinju. In particular, the magnificent shrine buildings constructed by successive feudal lords from the first Hirosaki feudal lord Tsugaru Tamenobu to the fourth Nobumasa are also known as "Nikko of the Deep North" and are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. In the past, it was called Iwaki Sansho Daigongen and was under the control of its chief priest Hyakutaku-ji Temple, but Hyakutaku-ji Temple and its various buildings were abolished due to the separation of Shinto and Buddhism in the Meiji period. It was formerly a small national shrine. Its annual festival is held on August 1st of the lunar calendar. The "Oyama Sankei" pilgrimage to the mountaintop Okumiya, which takes place mainly on the annual festival day, is a famous annual event in the Tsugaru region.

[Takahashi Miyuki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

青森県弘前(ひろさき)市百沢(ひゃくざわ)寺沢に鎮座。顕国玉神(うつしくにたまのかみ)、多都比姫神(たつひひめのかみ)、宇賀能売神(うかのめのかみ)の3神を主祭神とし、大山祇神(おおやまつみのかみ)、坂上苅田麿命(さかのうえのかりたまろのみこと)を配祀(はいし)する。創建年代は不詳。社伝では、800年（延暦19）坂上田村麻呂(たむらまろ)の創建と伝える。中世以降武門の崇敬厚く、津軽一宮、津軽総鎮守と称された。とくに初代弘前(ひろさき)藩主津軽為信(ためのぶ)から4代信政(のぶまさ)に至る歴代藩主によって造営された華麗な社殿は「奥の日光」ともよばれ、国の重要文化財に指定されている。古くは岩木三所大権現(だいごんげん)と称し、別当百沢寺(ひゃくたくじ)の支配下にあったが、明治の神仏分離により百沢寺および諸堂は廃絶した。旧国幣小社。例祭は旧暦8月1日。例祭日を中心に行われる山頂奥宮への「お山参詣(さんけい)」は、津軽地方の年中行事として有名である。

［高橋美由紀］

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