Watatsumi Shrine
Religion
AffiliationShinto
DeityWatatsumi
Website
https://kaijinjya.main.jp/
Glossary of Shinto

Watatsumi Shrine (海神社, Watatsumi Jinja) is a Shinto shrine located in Tarumi-ku, Kobe.[1][2][3]: 7  It is said to have been founded by the legendary Empress Jingu (169–269 AD).[2][3]: 7  It is one of the three major shrines of Harima Province.[2] It has a festival on October 11.[2]

It is colloquially called Sea Shrine (海神社, Umi Jinja) due to that being a more common reading of the characters.[2] It is also read as Kai Shrine or called Tarumi Shrine.[3]: 7 

History

According to the shrine's legend, Empress Jingū was nearly shipwrecked when returning to Japan from a military conquest in Korea. She survived thanks to praying to Watatsumi, and made the shrine to honor him.[3]: 7 [2] There are 22 Watatsumi shrines in the region that claim to have been founded by her in these circumstances.[3]: 7  Ikasuri Shrine and Ikuta Shrine were both also made at the same time by the Empress.[2] The son of Tomomi no Sukune who accompanied the Empress on her expedition became the first priest of the shrine.[4]

In 806 AD, the shrine was financially supported by taxes from ten households.[2] It was listed as a Myojin Taisha, the highest rank of significant shrines in the 927 AD Engishiki.[5]

In the Edo Period it gained a lot of significance for the rulers of the Akashi Domain, who visited it every February.[2]

Originally its main Torii was located on the beach like Itsukushima Shrine, but due to land reclamation after WWII its torii is now a fair bit inland.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane. Imperial, p. 127.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Watatsumi Shrine | 海神社 |Hyogo-ken, Kobe-shi". shintoshrines. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Romance of Kobe". www.forgottenbooks.com. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  4. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, R. A. B. (2016-05-11). Studies In Shinto & Shrines (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 335. ISBN 978-1-138-98322-9.
  5. ↑ Engi-shiki; Procedures of the Engi Era: Books VI-X. Sophia University. 1972.

Bibliography

34°37′44″N 135°03′15″E / 34.62894°N 135.05428°E / 34.62894; 135.05428

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