Matsuhojinjya Shrine:Outlines of the Origin

【Address of the Shrines】

256 Kuruma,Awaji City,Hyogo Pref.

【Enshrined Kami】

the 15th Emperor of OJIN

~ Hachiman Okami ~

※Hachiman Okami was worshipped as God of victory by every Samurai

<in the Main Sanctuary>

the 14th Emperor of CHUAI(Father of OJIN)

<in the Opposite Sanctuary>

JINGU Empress(Mother of OJIN)

<in the Opposite Sanctuary>

【History of the Shrines】

In May of En-gen 1(1336),KUSUNOKI Masashige,who is very famous Samurai as loyal retainer of the 96th Emperor GODAIGO,handed his Hachiman Okami rosary to one of his retainers KIKKAWA Yaroku,then made Yaroku flee from enemy rigt before his death in the battle of the Minato River.(Minato River is in center of Kobe City)

Right away Yaroku crossed the Inland Sea(Osaka Bay)to Awaji Island hanging the Hachiman Okami rosary from his neck.He enshrined the rosary at the place which was named his late lord KUSUNOKI Masashige,Kusunoki-mura(village),which is called Kusumoto now.Later in Augusut of Ou-ei 6(1399),a feudal lord of Higashiura district enshrined Hachiman Okami at current location of Mastuhojinjya Shrine,then Hachiman Okami was worshipped as tutelaly God of Higashiura district.

【Postscript】

The descendants of KIKKAWA Yaroku still reside nearby at Iwaya district in Awaji City.According to a legend,Yaroku was taking a nap evading pursuers of enemy,when a rabbit disturbed him in dreaming,which saved him from enemie's attack.Since then the Kikkawas have never eaten rabbits admiring the virtue of it.

【Treasure of the Shrine】

The treasure of the shrine is a sword of KUSUNOKI Masashige named "KIKU-ICHI-MONJI" which was certified by the Ministry of Education as a national important treasure art.A connoisseur HON-AMI Koson judged it had been made by the chief blacksmith NORIMUNE who served for EX-Emperor GOTOBA(the 82th Emperor)about 800 years ago,and Koson certified it as a precious rarity.

 

【Festivals】

23 March:Spring Festival for Harvest

1 August:NAGOSHI-NOーOHARAE&CHIーNO-WAKUGURI

(Rites of purification for overcoming the hot summer with an event of going through a huge circle for purification)

6 Augusut:GOZA-GAE MATSURI

(Rites of changing woven straw mats for the deities)

First Sunday of October:REI-TAI-SAI

(Annual Festival with a divine trip by portable shrine)

(Opening to the public of "KIKU-ICHI-MONJI")