Oarai Isosaki Shrine

The shrine is located in Isohama-cho, Oarai-machi, Higashiibaraki-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture. The main deity is Oonamuchi-no-mikoto, and Sukunahikona-no-mikoto is enshrined as a secondary deity. In the Engishiki, it is referred to as Oarai Isosaki Yakushi Bosatsu Shrine, and sometimes simply as Isosaki Shrine. The founding of the shrine is clear from the entry for December in the Montoku Jitsuroku in 856, which reads, "A god newly descended from Oarai Isosaki in Kashima-gun," and from a prophecy at the time that reads, "I am Oonamuchi Sukunahikona-no-mikoto." In the Engishiki, it is listed as a Myojin Taisha, in the Meiji government system as a Prefectural Shrine, and in 1885 (Meiji 18), it was listed as a Kunihei Chusha. The annual festival is held on August 25th, the Hassaku Festival (formerly known as the 1st day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar). The main hall and worship hall are designated as important cultural properties by the prefecture.

[Motegi Sadazumi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

茨城県東茨城郡大洗町磯浜(いそはま)町に鎮座。大己貴命(おおなむちのみこと)を主神として少彦名命(すくなひこなのみこと)を配祀(はいし)する。『延喜式(えんぎしき)』には大洗磯前薬師菩薩(やくしぼさつ)神社とあり、単に磯前神社と称することもある。創祀は『文徳(もんとく)実録』の斉衡(さいこう)3年（856）12月の条に「鹿島郡大洗磯前有神新降」とあり、時の託宣に「我は大奈母知少比古奈命(おおなむちすくなひこなのみこと)なり」とあることによって明らかである。『延喜式』では名神(みょうじん)大社、明治の官制では県社、1885年（明治18）には国幣中社に列した。例祭は8月25日の八朔祭(はっさくまつり)（古くは旧暦8月1日）に行う。本殿、拝殿は県の重要文化財。

［茂木貞純］

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