is a

Shinto shrine A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion. Overview Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meani ...

located in the hills of Furu in

Tenri is a city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan. The modern city was founded on April 1, 1954, and is named after the Japanese new religion Tenrikyo, which has its headquarters in the city. As of April 1, 2015, the city has an estimated population ...

, Nara prefecture,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. It is one of the oldest extant Shinto shrines in Japan and has housed several significant artifacts. Isonokami shrine was highly regarded in the ancient era, and frequented by many members of the Imperial Family. It played a pivotal role in Japan's early history, especially during the 3rd to 5th centuries. The shrine is at the northern end of the ''Yamanobe no michi'', the oldest road in Japan.

History

It is unknown which kami was initially worshipped at Isonokami shrine. Isonokami Shrine was supposedly built in the 7th year of Emperor Sujin's reign, or the 91 BC. However, there is little record of Sujin's existence or identity, and therefore the claim is deemed legendary. The construction of a structure that can be identified as a Shinto shrine in the Isonokami area probably dates two or three centuries later. Despite this, it is not unlikely that the Isonokami area was considered a sacred site during that time, as archeological digs have found many ritual objects, and Isonokami worship was already firmly established when they were adopted by the Yamato leaders in the 4th century. Early records show that the shrine was an emerging center of

Yamato was originally the area around today's Sakurai City in Nara Prefecture of Japan, which became Yamato Province and by extension a name for the whole of Japan. Yamato is also the dynastic name of the ruling Imperial House of Japan. Japanese his ...

power, flavored with a military overtone. Archeological evidences shows that around the 4th century, Yamato kings and nobility constructed more and more palaces and buildings in the shrine's vicinity. Prior to this, the Yamato leaders identified with kami worshipped at Mount Miwa, but may have turned to Isonokami for its martial implications. Myths written in the '' Nihon Shoki'' clearly attempt to link the Yamato court to Isonokami shrine. According to the ''Nihon Shoki'', Emperor Suinin's eldest son, Prince Inishiki ordered a thousand swords made and was placed in charge of Isonokami's treasures. He then founded the

Mononobe The was a Japanese aristocratic kin group (''uji'') of the Kofun period, known for its military opposition to the Soga clan. The Mononobe were opposed to the spread of Buddhism, partly on religious grounds, claiming that the local deities wou ...

clan, who patronized the shrine for many generations. Indeed, many of the state's iron weaponry were kept in the shrine's storehouses. When the Mononobe clan collapsed, it was reformed as the Isonokami clan. The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period. In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers be sent to report important events to the guardian ''kami'' of Japan. These ''heihaku'' were initially presented to 16 shrines including the Isonokami Shrine. From 1871 through 1946, the Isonokami Shrine was officially designated one of the , meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.

Architecture

Isonokami shrine is surrounded by Cryptomeria (''sugi)''. A '' waka'' poem from the ''

Man'yōshū The is the oldest extant collection of Japanese (poetry in Classical Japanese), compiled sometime after AD 759 during the Nara period. The anthology is one of the most revered of Japan's poetic compilations. The compiler, or the last in ...

'' anthology mentions Isonokami shrine, surrounded by holy cedar trees. The current site of Isonokami shrine may have been the site of an earlier religious structure, the Izumo-taisha. This is suspected because of a secondary shrine to Izumo-takeo found near the main shrine, but on higher ground. Since secondary shrines are never built higher than the principal shrine, some have concluded that it was an older structure that stood before the current one. The

honden In Shinto shrine architecture, the , also called , or sometimes as in Ise Shrine's case, is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined ''kami'', usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a sta ...

, or main hall, is built in the '' nagare-zukuri'' style.

Enshrined

The main enshrined dedication is to , the kami of a legendary sword (''futsu-no-mitama-no-tsurugi'') that was given to by Takemikazuchi in Kumano and used by Emperor Jimmu, the first Emperor of Japan. However, the sword itself is hidden in Isonokami shrine, but the second sword is visible in

Kashima Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Kashima, Ibaraki in the northern Kantō region of Japan. It is dedicated to , one of the patron deities of martial arts. Various dōjō of ''kenjutsu'' and ''kendō'' often display a hanging scroll emblazoned with ...

, Ibaraki.

Artifacts

The '' Nanatsusaya-no-Tachi'', a seven-branched sword, is housed in Isonokami shrine. It was given to the Yamato king by the crown prince of Baekje, a kingdom on the Korean Peninsula. The sword has been kept in Isonokami shrine since ancient times, perhaps as early as the 4th century when it was received from Baekje. It was rediscovered in 1873, and its gold inlaid inscription has proven to be a valuable historical resource. The sword is currently not available for public viewing. The '' Totsuka-no-Tsurugi'', a legendary sword, is also said to be kept at Isonokami shrine. According to the ''

Kojiki The , also sometimes read as or , is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the , and the Japanese imperia ...

'', the sword was used by the god

Susanoo __FORCETOC__ Susanoo (; historical orthography: , ) is a in Japanese mythology. The younger brother of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun and mythical ancestress of the Japanese imperial line, he is a multifaceted deity with contradictory chara ...

to slay the

Yamata-no-Orochi , or simply , is a legendary eight-headed and eight-tailed Japanese dragon/serpent. Mythology Yamata no Orochi legends are originally recorded in two ancient texts about Japanese mythology and history. The 712 AD transcribes this dragon name ...

, a giant serpent with eight heads and eight tails. Priests at the shrine do not allow anyone to see or inspect the sword. Ten treasures brought by

Amenohiboko was a legendary prince of Silla who settled in Japan during the era of Emperor Suinin, around the 3rd or 4th century and was said to have lived in Tajima Province. His descendants are the Tajima clan. Amenohiboko is the ancestral god of Tajima Pro ...

are thought to be housed in Isonokami shrine. According to the '' Nihon Shoki'', Amenohiboko was a prince from Korea who settled in Japan. The ten treasures he brought are known as the '' Tokusa-no-Kandakara'', and they are as follows: *Okitsu-kagami (A mirror) *Hetsu-kagami (A mirror) *Yatsuka-no-tsurugi (A sword) *Iku-tama (A jewel) *Makarukaheshi-tama (A jewel) *Taru-tama (A jewel) *Chikaheshi-no-tama (A jewel) *Orochi-no-hire (A type of long scarf worn by women) *Hachi-no-hire (A type of long scarf worn by women) *Kusagusa-no-mono-no-hire (A type of long scarf worn by women)

National Treasures

National Treasures of Japan

*The '' haiden'', or hall of worship, with '' irimoya'' style roofing,

Kamakura period The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle betwee ...

*The ''haiden'' at the Izumo Takeo secondary shrine *The ''Nanatsusaya-no-Tachi''Ponsonby-Fane, ''Visiting Famous Shrines in Japan,'' p. 299.

Important Cultural Properties

*The ''

rōmon The is one of two types of two-storied gate used in Japan (the other one being the ''nijūmon'', see photo in the gallery below). Even though it was originally developed by Buddhist architecture, it is now used at both Buddhist temples and Shin ...

'', or main gate *Two iron shields from the

Kofun period The is an era in the history of Japan from about 300 to 538 AD (the date of the introduction of Buddhism), following the Yayoi period. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes collectively called the Yamato period. This period is ...

*Several pieces of breastplate armor *Several unearthed artifacts (''

magatama are curved, comma-shaped beads that appeared in prehistoric Japan from the Final Jōmon period through the Kofun period, approximately 1000 BCE to the 6th century CE. The beads, also described as "jewels", were made of primitive stone and eart ...

'',

necklace A necklace is an article of jewellery that is worn around the neck. Necklaces may have been one of the earliest types of adornment worn by humans. They often serve Ceremony, ceremonial, Religion, religious, magic (illusion), magical, or Funerary ...

s, ring-pommel sabers)

Others

*Ornate red '' ō-yoroi'' *Black lacquered kabuto, various helms *'' Kokitsunemaru'', an '' ōdachi'' forged by

Sanjō Munechika In Japanese, may refer to: People *Emperor Sanjō (三条天皇; Sanjō-tennō), the 67th emperor of Japan * , a Japanese kuge family Fictional characters *Kairi Sanjō and Yukari Sanjō, fictional characters from the manga series ''Shugo Char ...

Annual celebrations

* Japanese New Year (January 1) * Genji-sai (January 3) * Furufudatakiage-sai (January 15) * Tama-no-o-sai (Night before ''

Setsubun is the day before the beginning of spring in the old calendar in Japan. The name literally means 'seasonal division', referring to the day just before the first day of spring in the traditional calendar, known as ; though previously referri ...

'') *''

'' *

Kinen-sai is a harvest festival that was celebrated every year in History of Japan, ancient Japan on February 4. It was held to pray for a good harvest, as reflected in its name. It is sometimes contrasted with Niiname-no-Matsuri or the fall festival. It ...

(February 19) * Kentōkōkōsha-ōmatsuri (First Sunday of each month) * Shunki-ōmatsuri (April 15) * Chōjukōsha-shunki-ōmatsuri (May 3) *

Denden Festival is a Japanese actor and former comedian.http://japancinema.net/2012/05/29/creative-spotlight-episode-126-denden He has appeared in more than 100 films since 1981. Selected filmography Film Television References External links * { ...

(June 30) *

Ōharae-shiki Ōharae-shiki is a Shinto ritual also known as the Great Purification. The name Oharae literally means Great Harae. The ritual was held biannually as a festival at the end of the sixth and twelfth months, but also on an ad hoc basis whenever a ...

(June 30 and December 31) * Sūkei-kai-ōmatsuri (First Sunday of each month) * Boujisarae-shinji (October 1) * Furumatsuri (October 15) * Chōjukōsha-shūki-ōmatsuri (November 3) * Chinkon-sai (November 22) * Niiname-no-matsuri (November 23) * Ohitaki-sai (December 8) *

The Emperor's Birthday is an annual Public holiday in Japan celebrating the birthday of the reigning Emperor of Japan, Emperor, which is currently 23 February as Naruhito, Emperor Naruhito was born on that day in 1960. It is enforced by a specific law, "The Law for Sp ...

(December 23) * Hokura-matsuri (December 31) *

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

(December 31) * Tsukinami-no-matsuri (Every 1st and 15th day of the month)

Notes

References

* Breen, John and Mark Teeuwen. (2000)
''Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami.''
Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. * Brown, Delmer M. et al. (1993). ''Cambridge History of Japan'', Volume 1. New York: Cambridge University Press. . * Kidder, Jonathan Edward (2007). ''Himiko and Japan's elusive chiefdom of Yamatai: archaeology, history, and mythology''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. . * Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962).
''Studies in Shinto and Shrines.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society
OCLC 399449
* ____________. (1959)
''The Imperial House of Japan.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society
OCLC 194887
* ____________. (1964)
''Visiting Famous Shrines in Japan.''
Kyoto: Ponsonby-Fane Memorial Society. {{DEFAULTSORT:Isonokami Shrine Kanpei-taisha Jingū Tenri, Nara Shinto shrines in Nara Prefecture National Treasures of Japan Important Cultural Properties of Japan Beppyo shrines