Atsuta Jingû

Atsuta Jingû is one of the holiest shrines in Japan and considered as such because it is a shrine to the sun goddess Amaterasu-Omikoto, the matriarch of the Imperial Family. Technically, enshrined is Atsuta-no-Omikoto, which is Amaterasu’s spirit in the form of one of the three Imperial Regalia: The Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. The Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (Grass-Cutting Sword), or Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi (Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds), is one of the most important cultural items in Japan, confering unto the emperor the power to rule. I mentioned in a previous post that Naiku in Ise is the holiest shrine in Japan and holds in its poscession, though unconfirmed, the bronze mirror which holds the image of Amaterasu-Omikoto. Atsuta Jingû can be thought of as simply another shrine to house an equally important item.

For the casual: 6. For the educated: 10.

Like Naikû and Gekû, visual access to the shrine is largely restricted with tall walls hiding most of what is visible. Visitors do have access to a path which follows the wall to the back side of the shrine which gives an idea of just how large the inner sanctum is, but again, the most people are likely to see are the gold leaf caps on the finials jutting from the shrine roof. Having said that, Atsuta Jingû is a beautiful shrine in the heart of Nagoya and retains a great deal of forest surrounding it. The grounds are like many major shrines in Japan with large gravel paths and beautiful trees. If the weather is good, there is a wonderful play of light between the green of the vegetation, the gold of sunlight on the wood buildings, and the white gray of the gravel. It’s a really nice combination which I find very relaxing. Depending on the time of the year, various events take place at the shrine from unique matsuri to larger-scale holiday events. During Golden Week in May, the shrine is filled with people praying for luck for their children. Strangely enough, when I was there, there were chickens roaming around the shrine.

A little chat about the sword. Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi is not the kind of sword that one would think of when thinking about a “Japanese” sword. Because only the emperor and those of the highest ranks in the caretaking of the artifcats are able to see the items itself, there is no conclusive image or description of what the sword really looks like. However, based on traditional imagery and other ceremonial swords from ancient Japan, the educated guess is that it’s a bronze sword with a straight blade which actually resembles a gladius of sorts, though there is no actual correlation between the two. Where the story gets really juicy is the fact that it’s likely the sword no longer exists. During the Genpei War, a civil war in the late 12th century between the Taira and Minamoto samurai clans, the young Emperor Antoku, only about the age of 9, fled Kyoto with the Taira clan to Kyushu. Because Antoku’s grandfather was actually Taira no Kiyomori, the leader of the Taira clan, it was feared that the Minamoto clan would come after the young emperor and surplant him with an emperor favorable to their cause. To deny this new emperor the authority of succession, they took with them peices of the Imperial Regalia, in this case, Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. According to Heike Monogatari (The Tale of the Heike), an account of the Genpei War, Emperor Antoku and his mother were aboard a Taira ship escaping to Kyushu when the forces of the Taira and Minamoto engaged in a naval combat. Rather than be captured, Antoku’s mother cast herself and her son into the sea and drowned, and with them, the sword. The emperor who actually succeeded Antoku was Emperor Go-Toba, an emperor with a passion for swordcrafting. When he crafted swords, he crafted his own imprint as a signature in the shape of a chrysanthemum, the emblem that would become the crest for the Imperial Family. Because of this, I have a theory that the current Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi was crafted, or at least overseen, by Go-Toba to replace the real one.

 

Momotarô Jinja

Momotarô Jinja is a shrine in Aichi Prefecture strattling the boundry to Gifu Prefecture near Inuyama and is said to be where the tale of Momotarô took place. Momotarô is a famed folk hero in Japan and is a favorite of so many children across the country. The story goes that an old lady was doing laundry on the shore of a river when she noticed a giant peach floating downstream. She grabbed the peach and brought it to her husband. Suddenly the peach opened and a little boy came out and they named him Momotarô (Peach Boy). They raised the boy, and when the oni (ogres) of Onigashima (Ogre Island) started raiding the surrounding villages, Momotarô set out to defeat the oni and put an end to their raids. Along the way he befriended a phesant, a monkey, and a dog. They beat the oni and he brings back all the wealth they took and is praised as a hero.

For the casual: 4. For the educated: 8.

I will say upfront that if you have little care for this story, there’s not much of a reason to go to this shrine. It’s far and there’s no public transportation over to the shrine, so walking or a taxi are the best methods to get there. But if you do have an interest in the story, I recommend the trip. The shrine is filled with plaster statues depicting different parts of the Momotarô fable. The shrine itself not only honors the alleged site of the fable, but it also offers good luck and protection to children.

 

Haritsuna Jinja

Haritsuna Jinja is the shrine to the local gods in the Inuyama area and sit on the hill just below the Inuyama-jô inner keep. It’s most closely associated with childbirth, pregnancy, and longevity and has in its collection a wooden statue of a dog which was a gift from the castle’s famed master, Oda Nobuyasu.

For the casual: 4. For the educated: 4.

If you’re going to Inuyama-jô, then it’s more than likely that you will visit this shrine. A lovely shrine in a great area, I’m not quite sure it’s a go to destination when compared to the castle which stands just up the hill. If you are there, be sure to enjoy the view from the balcony.

 

Taga Taisha

Taga Taisha is considered by many to be the premier shrine in Shiga Prefecture. Though the actual year of its founding is uncertain, it was likely founded some time around the 8th century because it was mentioned in the Kojiki, the oldest Japanese document recording the nation’s mythic origins and the geneology of Japan’s first emperors. Enshrined at Taga are the spirits of the two gods who created the world from foam: Izanagi-no-kami and Izanami-no-kami. As I have mentioned in other posts like Tsukiyomi-gû, shrines containing the spirit of Izanami-no-kami are very rare. After giving birth to a multitude of gods, she died in childbirth and became the ruler of the underworld. Upon seeing her hideous form, Izanagi did the very rude thing of running away and trapping her in the underworld. Understandably furious, she promised to curse their mortal creations with a limited lifespan and thus she is not a widely worshipped figure in Shinto.

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 9.

I’ll start with the bad news I guess: Taga Taisha is not an easy shrine to get to. Let me clarify: it’s not within a major city and requires prior planning to really go visit. That being said, I highly recommend that everyone consider visiting this shrine as I will get into in a little, but first I would like to take a rare oportunity to describe some methods of transportation to get to the shrine from Kyoto. While I’m sure there are buses or tours that make trips to Hikone for the castle and Taga Taisha, I’m going to make the assumption that you the reader are not going to be doing that. Instead, there are trains and cars, and between the two I’m again going to assume the former. Train-wise, there are two trains in particular you can use. The first is the Special Rapid service on the Kyoto line bound for Maibara. Hikone is the station before Maibara and is the best station to go to for the shrine. The Special Rapid is a commuter train that takes between and hour and 90 minutes to get from Kyoto to Hikone. If you would like the potential to speed that up at a higher cost, you can take the shinkansen from Kyoto to Maibara. Maibara is the largest station in the eastern Shiga area, but it’s not a major shinkansen station so visitors will likely have to wait for the Kodama line shinkansen which stops at every station. Still, it’s faster than the commuter train, though it may take time to wait for the Kodama line Shinkansen. From Maibara, a one stop ride south will get you to Hikone Station and from there you can change trains to a local one which goes to the shrine, but it doesn’t run very often. If you don’t want to worry about the local train, there are also buses that make their way over to the shrine. If you’re on a schedule, I recommend just taking a taxi because it’s fast and I had good luck speaking to the drivers.

Honestly, I really recommend going to Taga Taisha. For one, the atmosphere was everything that one could want from a shrine. Sure it’s a major shrine, but it was so secluded and the little stores across the street were clearly there for generations. It was almost like something out of a dream. The people were super nice and welcoming and the shrine is a beautiful piece of natural art. Stone walkways, tall cedar trees, and the rich brown color of the building makes for a super relaxing environment. Glittering gold accents on the supports starkly contrasts the earthen tones of the buildings, but it’s not overburdening. All in all, the light and colors really made me feel warm and relaxed. Because I was sadly pressed for time, I didn’t get the chance to really soak in everything at the shrine. Near the entrance and across from the talisman window is a small open-air cafe that looked like a really nice place to sit, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere. Like many shrines, Taga Taisha has a stage for Noh performances and maiko dances, so be sure to take a look for any special events before visiting. Who knows, you might get lucky!