Hinomisaki Shrine

Located in Hinomisaki, Taisha-cho, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture. It consists of two shrines, with Amaterasu Omikami enshrined in Shimonomiya (Hisinnomiya) and Kansusano-no-mikoto enshrined in Kaminomiya (Kaminomiya). The shrine was founded long ago, with Shimonomiya being moved from Fumishima and Kaminomiya being moved from Kakuregaoka behind the shrine. It appears in the Izumo no Kuni Fudoki as Misaki Shrine and in the Engishiki as Misaki Shrine. It was highly revered by both the government and the public, and in the Middle Ages the shrine's landholding reached 4,000 koku. In the early modern period, the landholding decreased, but later gradually increased, and in 1868 (Meiji 1), it held 1,285 koku. It was formerly a small national shrine. The shrine building in the Gongen style was built in 1644 (Shoho 1) as a direct construction project by the shogunate, and the interior features gorgeous murals by the Kano and Tosa schools, and is designated as an Important Cultural Property. The annual festival (Shinko Shinji) is held on August 7th. In addition, there are ancient traditional festivals such as the Shinken Hoten ritual (December 31st) based on the story of Amenofukine-no-Mikoto (the son of Susanoo-no-Mikoto) offering the sword Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi to Amaterasu-Omikami, and the Mekari ritual (5th of the lunar New Year) which is said to have begun when a black-tailed gull brought seaweed three times to the railing of the shrine and offered it to the altar. The shrine has one set of white-laced armor (national treasure) and one set of blue-laced belly warmer (nationally designated important cultural property).

[Hirai Naofusa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

島根県出雲(いずも)市大社町日御碕に鎮座。2社からなり、下(しも)の宮（日沈宮(ひしずみのみや)）に天照大御神(あまてらすおおみかみ)、上(かみ)の宮（神の宮）に神素盞嗚尊(かんすさのおのみこと)を祀(まつ)る。創立は古く、下の宮は経島(ふみしま)から、上の宮は社の後方の隠丘(かくれがおか)から移されたという。『出雲国風土記(いずものくにふどき)』に美佐伎社(みさきのやしろ)、『延喜式(えんぎしき)』に御碕神社とみえ、朝野の尊崇が厚く、中世の社領は4000石に達した。近世は所領が減じたが、のち漸増し、1868年（明治1）当時1285石を保有した。旧国幣小社。権現(ごんげん)造の社殿は1644年（正保1）に幕府直轄工事として建立され、内部には狩野(かのう)・土佐派の豪華な壁画があり、重要文化財に指定されている。例祭（神幸神事）は8月7日。また、天葺根命(あめのふきねのみこと)（素盞嗚尊の子）が天叢雲剣(あめのむらくものつるぎ)を天照大御神に奉った故事による神剣奉天(しんけんほうてん)神事（12月31日）、ウミネコが神社の欄干に海草を三度くわえてきたのを神前に供えたのに始まるという和布刈(めかり)神事（旧正月5日）などの古伝祭がある。国宝の白糸威鎧(しろいとおどしのよろい)1領、国指定重要文化財の藍韋威(あいかわおどしの)腹巻1領を所蔵する。

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