What is Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Osaka?
2024-11-21
Sumiyoshi Taisha is a shrine that Osaka citizens unanimously call by the nickname "Sumiyosan ". Since ancient times, Sumiyoshi Taisha has been revered as the god of safety of navigation, purification, agriculture, waka (Japanese poetry), martial arts, and sumo wrestling. This article introduces the unique charms of Sumiyoshi Taisha.
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Sumiyoshitaisya, a shrine with over 1,800 years of history
Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine is located in Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi-ku, in the southern part of Osaka City. The date of its founding is not certain, but it is estimated to be 211 A.D. based on "Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan) "Empress Jingu's Regency Pre-Regency Chronicles. On her way back to Yamato after her successful conquest of Silla, Empress Jingu was not only confronted by the rebellion of Prince Kagosaka and Prince Oshikuma, but her ship heading for Namba was unable to proceed. At that time, the shrine received an oracle from the three deities of Sumiyoshi to enshrine the three gods' souls and, following the oracle's instructions, held a Shinto festival at Sumiyoshi, and the ship was able to cross the sea without incident. In the more than 1,800 years since its founding, the shrine has nurtured the tradition of being the first shrine in Settsu Province. It is the head shrine of the more than 2,300 Sumiyoshi shrines built throughout Japan.
During the Kofun period, the shrine had a close relationship with Sumiyoshi-tsu and Naniwazu, where important diplomatic ports were established, and was regarded as a god of navigation and port. In ancient times, the shrine was enshrined in ships sent to the Tang Dynasty as a god of nautical protection and purification, and from the Heian period (794-1185), it was worshipped by the Imperial Court and aristocrats as a god of waka poetry. In the Edo period (1603-1867), many ordinary people began to visit the shrine.
Anti-Bridge connecting Otorii and Hongu
Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine is located on the western edge of the Uemachi Plateau and is said to have faced the sea in ancient times. In the Meiji era (1868-1912), the ocean seems to have extended beyond the Sumiyoshi high lanterns in the west. The West Otorii, adjacent to the Hankai Electric Railway's "Sumiyoshi Torii-mae Station "and the Nankai Railway's "Sumiyoshi Taisha Station ", serves as the entrance to Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine. The main approach to the shrine is maintained in the Shinto shrine area after passing under the Ichino-torii.
Walking along the approach toward the main shrine, you will cross the sacred bridge "反橋 "over the sacred pond. It is also the symbol of the shrine and is sometimes referred to as "Taikobashi ". It is about 20 meters long, 3.6 meters high, and 5.5 meters wide. There is a legend that visitors to the shrine are "purified "just by crossing the bridge, and it is said that many visitors cross the bridge to visit the main shrine. It is said that the current stone piers were dedicated by Yodogun during the Keicho era (1596-1598) to pray for the growth of his son, Toyotomi Hideyori. The maximum inclination is about 48 degrees. Yasunari Kawabata wrote in his 1948 work "Anti-Bridge "" Anti-Bridge is more difficult to climb down than up, I was held by my mother "
"Four main shrines built in the Sumiyoshi-zukuri "architectural style
"The area east of the Anti-Bridge "is the main shrine area. The L-shaped arrangement of the four main shrines is like a fleet of boats on the ocean, visually conveying the ancient ritual form, Each of the four main shrines is dedicated to one of the four main deities.
The four main shrines are said to have been built in 1810 during the late Edo period and are all designated as national treasures. The architectural style is a unique style called "Sumiyoshi-zukuri ", and is positioned as the oldest style of shrine architecture dating back to the Asuka Period, along with Shinmei-zukuri, Taisha-zukuri, and Otori-zukuri.
The building has a girder length of 4 ken and beam spacing of 3 ken at the front and 2 ken at the rear, with an entrance on the gable side at right angles to the gable roof ridge. The roof is made of hiwadabuki (cypress bark) and is straight without any warping, and the roof is decorated with chigis and katsuogi (dried bonito wood). "The number of katsuogi is five on each of the four buildings. The first to the third main shrines have chigi shaved perpendicularly to the ground at the tip "and the fourth main shrine has chigi shaved horizontally to the ground at the tip "and internally at the tip ".
The pillars are all ni-nuri round pillars built on foundation stones, and there is no pillar in the center of the front, but a board door. "The walls are painted with gofun-nuri ( "), a white pigment made by baking and grinding shells and other materials into a fine powder. The interior is divided into an outer sanctuary and an inner sanctuary. There is no perimeter around the shrine, but there is a double fence of Mizugaki and Tamagaki, which are spaced a little apart.
The three Sumiyoshi deities and Empress Jingu are the deities
The four main shrines worship the three Sumiyoshi deities and Empress Jingu as their deities. The legend of the appearance of the three Sumiyoshi deities to the world is recorded in "the Chronicles of Japan "and "the Kojiki "scrolls of the divine era. Izanagi no Mikoto followed his wife Izanami no Mikoto, who was severely burned when she gave birth to a fire deity and died, to the Land of Hades, the world of the dead. However, he is unable to bring back his wife, and she becomes defiled. While performing misogi-exorcism in the sea to purify this defilement, the three Sumiyoshi deities appeared in turn.
It is said that "Soketsutsuno-no-mikoto "was born in the deepest part of the rapids, "Nakatsutsuno-no-mikoto "in the middle of the rapids, and "Omototsutsuno-no-mikoto "on the water surface. Based on this myth, the first main shrine enshrines "Soko-totsuno-no-mikoto ", the second main shrine enshrines "Naka-totsuno-no-mikoto ", the third main shrine enshrines "Omototsuno-no-mikoto ", and the fourth main shrine enshrines Empress Jingu as "Okinagatara-shihime no Mikoto ".
Precincts where various blessings can be expected
While the main shrine area, which runs east to west through the center of the temple grounds, is filled with a sacred atmosphere, there are numerous attractions scattered throughout the approximately 30,000 tsubo (about 1.5 acres) of the grounds. To the south of the first main shrine is an area called "Gosho Gozen ". It is said to be the place where Sumiyoshi-Okami was first enshrined when it was settled about 1,800 years ago. Here "five ", "large ", "power ", it has been believed that if you pick up the "Five Great Power Stones "marked as strength, wisdom, wealth, good fortune, and longevity and make them into amulets, you will receive strength, wisdom, wealth, good fortune, and longevity, and your wishes will be fulfilled. It is customary to double the size of the stone and return it to the shrine after the fulfillment of a wish.
"In addition to the Godai-ryokuishi ", there are other wish-granting stones lying around the temple grounds. "The Omogaruseki "is an omogaruseki "on the grounds of the Ootoshi Shrine, the youngest shrine, erected to the southeast of the Gosho Gozen ". "In a small shrine called Oitoshiboshi-sha ", a sacred stone is set up to divine whether your wish will come true or not. It is one of the most popular spots at the shrine, and on Saturdays, Sundays, and Hatsutatsu-mairi (first dragon dance), there is a long line of people waiting in line. To divine your wish, first visit "and pray with two beats and one clap ", then lift the stone and check its weight. Next, make a wish while placing your hand on the stone. Then, lift the stone again, and if it feels lighter the second time, it is believed that the wish will be granted. "There are a total of three Omokaruseki "in a row; you may choose to focus on one and tell your fortune, or repeat the process until "the third time ".
The precincts of Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine are filled with a mythical atmosphere, but you can also experience the world of fairy tales. In the precincts of Taneyosha Shrine, which is built on the north side of the main shrine area, "a bowl "of a one-dimensional man is placed. "The "one-dimensional man "who appears in the fairy tale of "is the offspring of the great god Sumiyoshi. An elderly couple who were not blessed with a child prayed to the god Sumiyoshi, and a child was born. However, the child was only about 3.3 centimeters long, so they named him Issunboushi. With high aspirations, he then climbed up to Kyoto from Sumiyoshi Beach on a boat with a bowl, a needle sword at his waist, and chopsticks as oars, and rose to the top of the world. "The bowl of Issunboshi "is expected to bring good fortune for children, easy childbirth, and success in life.
Year-round festivals with rich expressions
The spacious grounds of Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine are filled with attractive spots centering on the four main shrines. While simply strolling the grounds is enjoyable, a wide variety of annual festivals are held throughout the year.
The most important annual festival for the shrine is "called Sumiyoshi Matsuri "and is one of "the three most important summer festivals "in Osaka. It is believed to have the significance of "purifying "all of Osaka, and citizens call it "Oharai ". It is usually held in July "on Umi no Hi "through July 30, 31, and August 1.
"On the day of the sea ", the shrine's portable shrines are purified by seawater pumped up from the offshore waters of Osaka Bay in the Mikoshi-arai ritual. This is followed by the "Yoimiya Festival "on July 30, and the "Natsukoshi Purification Ceremony and Regular Festival "on the following day. "The Natsukoshi-no-Purification ritual "is designated as a prefectural folk cultural asset and is characterized by the sight of dressed-up Natsukoshi-no-onna and children passing through a thatch ring.
On August 1, the portable shrines of the shrine parade to the Shukuin Tongu shrine in Sakai City. The portable shrines are paraded through the waters of the Yamato River, which flows along the border between the two cities, and the procession of the portable shrines is a heroic procession.
The "Otaue Ritual ", which is usually held on June 14, has been selected as a National Intangible Folk Cultural Asset. In this ceremony, a woman transfers saplings given to her by the gods to another woman in the rice field for planting. A stage is set up in the center of the paddy field, where Kagura-jo performs "Yaotome-mai ", a samurai performance in armor, and local children dedicate "the rice planting dance "and "the Sumiyoshi-odori ".
"The Otaue ritual "is held during the rice planting season, and the Kangetsu Festival "on the day of the Mid-Autumn Moon "is also very seasonal and has its own unique charm. Sumiyoshi Odori (dance) and Bugaku (dance and music) are dedicated on the Anti-Bashi Bridge. The moon shines on the bridge, creating a fantastic mood.
Variety of awards
When you visit a shrine, you will probably want to take home an award in hopes of receiving further blessings. Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine prepares omifuda, amulets, ema (votive picture tablet), dolls, and other items according to your wishes. Among them, Hatsutatsu-san's "beckoning cat "looks adorable and is very popular. On odd-numbered months, it beckons people with its left hand, and on even-numbered months, it beckons money with its right hand.
There is a wide variety of red seals. Two types are always available: "Sumiyoshi Taisha "and "Jinko Shoukai ". However, there are more than 10 types of red seals, including date-limited and seasonal seals, as well as those for regent and subordinate shrines erected on the temple grounds.
Since ancient times, Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine has carved out a history of over 1,800 years and established a unique culture in Osaka. The variety of buildings and festivals here will surely change your life.
"Basic Information "
Address: 2-9-89 Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, 558-0045, Japan
Access: Hankai Electric Railway "Sumiyoshi Torii-mae Station "・Nankai Electric Railway "Sumiyoshi Taisha Station "
Phone number: 06-6672-0753
Opening hours: April-September=6:00 min / October-March=6:30 (the gate opens at 6:00 on the first day of each month and on the first dragon day)
Closing time: Outer Perimeter Gate = 16:00 / Gogakuchi = 17:00
Official website: https://www.sumiyoshitaisha.net/
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