Yasaka Shrine

Located in Gion-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City. The main deity is said to be Susanoo-no-Mikoto, and his wife Kushinada-hime and the eight children of the deity Yahashira-no-Mikoto are also enshrined. Susanoo-no-Mikoto was thought to be the same as Gozu Tenno, the guardian deity of the Gion Shoja temple in India, and so the shrine was called Gion-sha, but in 1868 (Meiji 1) it was renamed Yasaka-jinja due to the policy of separating Shinto and Buddhism. It is the head shrine of the more than 3,000 Yasaka-jinja (Gion-sha) or Gozu Tenno-sha shrines across the country. Regarding the founding of this shrine, the shrine's tradition states that in 656 (the second year of the reign of Emperor Saimei), an envoy from Goguryeo (Koguryo) called Irishio-no-Mikoto, who came to Japan from Koryo (Koguryo), invited Susanoo-no-Mikoto, who was enshrined on Mt. Gozu in Silla, to be enshrined in Yasaka-go, Otagi-gun, Yamashiro Province. However, many historical documents state that the shrine was founded during the Jogan era (859-877) or Gangyo era (877-885). Originally called Kankei-ji or Gion Kanshin-in, this shrine was ranked as a Jogaku-ji temple in 935 (the fifth year of the Shohei era) and was also ranked as one of the 21 shrines in 995 (the first year of the Chotoku era), and thus possessed the characteristics of both a shrine and a temple. The main deity, Susanoo or Gozu Tenno, is said to be a god who wards off epidemics, and as epidemics spread during the Heian period and social unrest increased, the so-called Gion faith also flourished.

When an epidemic broke out in 863 (Jogan 5), a Goryoe ceremony was held at Shinsen-en Garden, and when another epidemic broke out in 869, 66 hoko (floor poles) were erected and a Goryoe ceremony was held at Shinsen-en Garden; these are said to be the origins of the Gion Festival. However, it was not until 970 (Tenroku 1) that it became a regular imperial ceremony. This ceremony was temporarily discontinued in the Middle Ages, but in 1500 (Meio 9) during the Muromachi period, the Gion Festival was revived with donations of floats and other items from Kyoto townspeople. Since then, it has gradually grown in size, and is known as one of Kyoto's three major festivals, along with the Aoi Festival and the Jidai Festival. The main part of this festival is the Yamahoko Procession, which is held on both July 17th and 24th, but in 1966 (Showa 41), the Yamahoko Procession was merged with July 17th, and the Flower Parasol Procession is held on the 24th (the Yamahoko Procession on the 24th was revived in 2014). There are also other special rituals such as the Okera Festival on New Year's Day and the Wakana Festival on January 7th. Many cultural properties have been handed down at this shrine, and in addition to the main hall, which is a national treasure, three swords made by Fujiwara Kunimichi and one sword made by Yukihira of Bungo Province are important cultural properties. In 1871 (Meiji 4), it was ranked as a Kanpei Chusha (medium-rank shrine) and in 1915 (Taisho 4), it was promoted to Kanpei Taisha (major-rank shrine).

[Kumagaya Yasutaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市東山区祇園(ぎおん)町に鎮座。主祭神は素戔嗚尊(すさのおのみこと)とされ、その妻神櫛稲田姫(くしなだひめ)尊と八柱御子神(やはしらのみこがみ)ほかを配祀(はいし)する。素戔嗚尊はインドの祇園精舎(しょうじゃ)の守護神である牛頭天王(ごずてんのう)と同体と考えられたところから、当社を祇園社と称していたが、1868年（明治1）に神仏分離政策により八坂神社と改称した。全国に3000社以上ある八坂神社（祇園社）または牛頭天王社の本社である。当社の創祀(そうし)について、社伝では、656年（斉明天皇2）に高麗(こま)（高句麗(こうくり)）から来朝した伊利之使主(いりしおみ)が新羅(しらぎ)国の牛頭山に鎮座する素戔嗚尊を勧請(かんじょう)し、山城(やましろ)国愛宕(おたぎ)郡八坂郷に奉斎したのがその始まりであるという。しかし貞観(じょうがん)年間（859～877）あるいは元慶(がんぎょう)年間（877～885）に創建されたとする史料も多い。当社はもと観慶(かんけい)寺あるいは祇園感神院などと称され、935年（承平5）に定額(じょうがく)寺に列し、また995年（長徳1）には二十一社にも列して、神社仏閣両者の性格を兼備していた。主祭神の素戔嗚尊あるいは牛頭天王は疫病退散の神とされ、平安時代に疫病が流行して社会不安が高まるとともに、いわゆる祇園信仰も盛行した。

　863年（貞観5）に疫病が流行したとき神泉苑(えん)で御霊会(ごりょうえ)を行い、また869年にも疫病が流行したので神泉苑で鉾(ほこ)66本を建てて御霊会を執行したが、これが祇園祭(まつり)の起源であるといわれている。しかし、勅会として恒例の祭祀となったのは970年（天禄1）以降である。この祭祀は中世に一時中絶したが、室町時代の1500年（明応9）には、山鉾などは京都の町衆より寄進せられて、祇園祭は復興した。以後、しだいに盛大となり、葵祭(あおいまつり)や時代祭とともに京都三大祭の一つと称されるようになった。この祭の中心は7月17日と24日の両日に分けて行われる山鉾巡行であるが、1966年（昭和41）より山鉾巡行は7月17日に合併されたため、24日には花傘巡行を行うようになっている（2014年に24日の山鉾巡行は復活した）。このほか元日の白朮祭(おけらまつり)や1月7日の若菜祭などの特殊な神事がある。当社には多くの文化財が伝来するが、国宝の本殿のほか、藤原国路(くにみち)作の太刀(たち)三振と豊後(ぶんご)国行平作の太刀一振は重要文化財である。1871年（明治4）官幣中社に列し、1915年（大正4）官幣大社に昇格した。

［熊谷保孝］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例