Oshi - Oshi

An abbreviation of Onkitoshi (prayer master) and Onnotoshi (imperial sword master), also called Imperial sword master or Inorishi (prayer master), it refers to a Shinto priest who conveys the wishes of the donor (patriarch) in a shi-dan relationship to the altar and represents those prayers. In the Ise region, it is pronounced "Onshi." Originally, it was the name of a temple monk or a guide of a sacred place, but in the mid-Heian period, the custom spread to Kumano Sanzan, Dewa Sanzan, Ise Jingu, Iwashimizu Hachimangu, Hiyoshi Shrine, and other places, and they were considered to be one of the Shinto priests. Ise Jingu has had a strict ban on private offerings since ancient times, but as public reverence grew, demands for personal prayers and offerings of reward arose, and the activities of Ise Jingu's Oshi flourished. The name of Taijingu's chief priest, Shotoushi Tanemitsu, appears in the September entry for 1037 in the Daijingu Shozajiki, and its origins can be seen. At first, this was merely done by the priests on the side of the shrine's administrative duties, but after the Muromachi period, it became a specialized and organized religious activity and developed greatly. The main function of the Ise Oshi is, first of all, to form a shi-dan relationship with donors and petitioners, known as danka and danna, and to offer prayers for the fulfillment of wishes. Then, every year, they would travel around the country bringing purification rites and souvenirs from Ise, as a sign of the success of their prayers. The souvenirs were diverse, including abalone wrapped in noshi, Ise calendars, dried bonito flakes, and Ise face powder. When their patrons visited the shrine, they would stay at the residences of the priests, perform Daidai Kagura dance at the Kagura Hall, and facilitate pilgrimages to both shrines and sightseeing in Shima. In general, these activities were more prosperous in Yamada on the Geku side than in Uji on the Naiku side, and Mikkaichi Dayu, Ryu Dayu, and Fukushima Misaki Dayu were representative of the large scale of their activities. The number of Oshi in Yamada is said to have reached 391 during the Kanbun period (1661-73) and 385 during the Bunsei period (1818-30). The activities of these Oshi not only strengthened the relationship between the Oshi and their parishioners and attracted new parishioners, but also played a major role in spreading and educating the Ise faith nationwide, as well as in organizing the Ise Ko sect. However, in 1871 (Meiji 4), a proclamation by the Dajokan regarding the reform of the shrine came to a halt to all activities.

[Masayuki Nakanishi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

御祈祷師(おんきとうし)、御詔刀師(おんのっとし)の略称で、詔刀師や祈師(いのりし)ともいい、師檀関係にある檀那(だんな)の願意を神前に取り次ぎ、その祈願を代表する神職をさす。伊勢(いせ)地方では「おんし」と読む。当初は寺院の僧侶(そうりょ)や霊場の先達(せんだつ)の名称であったが、平安中期、その風習が熊野(くまの)三山や出羽(でわ)三山、伊勢神宮、石清水八幡宮(いわしみずはちまんぐう)、日吉(ひえ)神社などにも波及し、神職の一とされた。伊勢神宮では古くから私幣禁断の厳制が敷かれてきたが、一般の崇敬が高まるにつれて、個人的な祈祷や報賽(ほうさい)の要求が生じるとともに伊勢神宮の御師の活動が盛んになった。『太神宮(だいじんぐう)諸雑事記』の長暦(ちょうりゃく)元年（1037）9月条に、太神宮司詔刀師種光の名がみえ、その起源がうかがえる。初めは神社の事務のかたわら禰宜(ねぎ)たちがこれを行うにとどまったが、室町時代以後、専門的かつ組織的な宗教活動となり大いに発展した。伊勢の御師のおもな機能は、まず檀家(だんか)・檀那とよばれる施主や願主と師檀関係を結び、諸願成就(じょうじゅ)の祈祷を行うことである。そして年ごとに祈祷の験(しるし)である祓麻(はらえのぬさ)や伊勢土産(みやげ)をもって諸国を巡歴する。土産の品目は熨斗鮑(のしあわび)はじめ伊勢暦、鰹節(かつおぶし)、伊勢白粉(おしろい)など多彩であった。また檀那の参宮には御師の自邸に宿泊せしめ、神楽殿(かぐらでん)において太々(だいだい)神楽を奏行、両宮参詣(さんけい)や志摩の遊覧などに便宜を図った。概してその活動は内宮(ないくう)側の宇治(うじ)より外宮(げくう)側の山田が隆昌(りゅうしょう)を極め、三日市大夫(みっかいちだゆう)、竜大夫(りゅうだゆう)、福島みさき大夫などは、その規模が大きく代表的なものであった。また山田の御師数では寛文(かんぶん)期（1661～73）に391軒、文政(ぶんせい)期（1818～30）に385軒を数えたという。これら御師の活動が師檀関係の強化や新たな檀家の獲得を目ざすことはもとより、全国的にみて伊勢信仰の普及や教化、あるいは伊勢講の組織に大きな役割を果たしたのである。しかし、1871年（明治4）の神宮改革に関する太政官(だじょうかん)布達により、いっさいの活動が停止されるに至った。

［中西正幸］

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