Aso Shrine
Encyclopedia
is a Shinto Shrine in Aso
, Kumamoto Prefecture
, Japan
, Aso is one of the oldest and most prominent shrines in Japan. This shrine holds several Important Cultural Properties
, such as Ichi-no-shinden （一の神殿）, Ni-no-shinden （二の神殿）, Rōmon （楼門） etc.
in Kyushu
is traditionally held to have been a center of worship before the accession of Emperor Jinmu. The shikinaisha shrine complex at Ichinomiya
in what is today Kumamoto prefecture
was said to have been established in 281. Ichinomiya literally means "the first shrine" -- which means in other words that Aso was the first shrine in the province of Higo
.
Records link the founding of the shrine to the reign of Emperor Keikō
. By the middle of the 11th century, the shrine was involved in national issues as they played out across Kyushu.
During the ascendancy of the Kamakura shogunate
, the Hōjō clan
exercised a significant influence over the affairs of Aso Shrine.
This Shinto shrine is dedicated to the veneration of Tateiwatatsu-no-Mikoto, who was a grandson of Japan's first emperor and the brother of Emperor Suizei
, the second monarch on the traditional list of emperors. In the same period that Emperor Jimmu
was establishing his palace at Kashihara at the foot of Mount Unebi in Yamato province
, Tateiwatasu was sent to Aso where he helped establish a number of agricultural communities; and later, he is said to have built a palace at Miyagi
.
The original location of the shrine is uncertain because it was destroyed and rebuilt many times in or near the crater of Aso-zan. The present buildings date only from the Tempo
era (1830–1843).
From 1871 through 1946, the Aso Shrine was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha (官幣大社), meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.
or spirit who dwells at Aso Shrine has been worshipped from early times as the guardian deity of safety in navigation, and today, Aso-no-Ōkami is popular as a god protecting worshippers from traffic accidents and other untoward events.
Yabusame
is an annual festival which brings together horse-mounted archers, special arrows and targets, and Shinto ritual at Aso Shrine.
The Aso no Himatsuri festival has its origin in the month of March festivals such as Aso no Noyaki (the first burning in Aso) and Aso jinja no Hifuri shinji (the fire ritual of Aso Shrine). Although rarely performed today, ceremonies which honor ancestors who settled near the Aso caldera do continue to be associated with the Aso jinja.
Aso, Kumamoto
is a city located in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.The city was formed on February 11, 2005 from the merger of the former town of Aso with the town of Ichinomiya, and the village of Namino, all from Aso District....
, Kumamoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Aso is one of the oldest and most prominent shrines in Japan. This shrine holds several Important Cultural Properties
Important Cultural Properties of Japan
The term is often shortened into just are items officially already classified as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and judged to be of particular importance to the Japanese people....
, such as Ichi-no-shinden （一の神殿）, Ni-no-shinden （二の神殿）, Rōmon （楼門） etc.
History
Aso Shrine at Mount AsoMount Aso
is the largest active volcano in Japan, and is among the largest in the world. It stands in Aso Kujū National Park in Kumamoto Prefecture, on the island of Kyūshū. Its peak is 1592 m above sea level. Aso has one of the largest caldera in the world...
in Kyushu
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
is traditionally held to have been a center of worship before the accession of Emperor Jinmu. The shikinaisha shrine complex at Ichinomiya
Ichinomiya, Kumamoto
was a town located in Aso District, Kumamoto, Japan.On February 11, 2005 Ichinomiya was merged with the town of Aso , and the village of Namino, all from Aso District, to form the new city of Aso and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
in what is today Kumamoto prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...
was said to have been established in 281. Ichinomiya literally means "the first shrine" -- which means in other words that Aso was the first shrine in the province of Higo
Higo Province
Higo Province was an old province of Japan in the area that is today Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Hizen Province. Higo bordered on Chikugo, Bungo, Hyūga, Ōsumi, and Satsuma Provinces....
.
Records link the founding of the shrine to the reign of Emperor Keikō
Emperor Keiko
; also known as Ootarashihikooshirowake no Sumeramikoto, was the 12th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 71–130.-Legendary narrative:Keikō is...
. By the middle of the 11th century, the shrine was involved in national issues as they played out across Kyushu.
During the ascendancy of the Kamakura shogunate
Kamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
, the Hōjō clan
Hojo clan
See the late Hōjō clan for the Hōjō clan of the Sengoku Period.The in the history of Japan was a family who controlled the hereditary title of shikken of the Kamakura Shogunate. In practice, the family had actual governmental power, many times dictatorial, rather than Kamakura shoguns, or the...
exercised a significant influence over the affairs of Aso Shrine.
This Shinto shrine is dedicated to the veneration of Tateiwatatsu-no-Mikoto, who was a grandson of Japan's first emperor and the brother of Emperor Suizei
Emperor Suizei
, sometimes romanized as Suisei and known as Kamu-nuna-kaha-mimi no mikoto; was the second emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
, the second monarch on the traditional list of emperors. In the same period that Emperor Jimmu
Emperor Jimmu
was the first Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is also known as Kamuyamato Iwarebiko and personally as Wakamikenu no Mikoto or Sano no Mikoto....
was establishing his palace at Kashihara at the foot of Mount Unebi in Yamato province
Yamato Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. It was also called . At first, the name was written with one different character , and for about ten years after 737, this was revised to use more desirable characters . The final revision was made in...
, Tateiwatasu was sent to Aso where he helped establish a number of agricultural communities; and later, he is said to have built a palace at Miyagi
Miyagi
-Places:* Miyagi Prefecture, one of the 47 major divisions of Japan* Miyagi, Gunma, a village in Japan, merged into Maebashi in 2004-People:* Michio Miyagi , Japanese koto musician* Chōjun Miyagi , Japanese martial artist...
.
The original location of the shrine is uncertain because it was destroyed and rebuilt many times in or near the crater of Aso-zan. The present buildings date only from the Tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
era (1830–1843).
From 1871 through 1946, the Aso Shrine was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha (官幣大社), meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.
Shinto belief
Aso-no-Ōkami, the kamiKami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
or spirit who dwells at Aso Shrine has been worshipped from early times as the guardian deity of safety in navigation, and today, Aso-no-Ōkami is popular as a god protecting worshippers from traffic accidents and other untoward events.
Yabusame
Yabusame
is a type of mounted archery in traditional Japanese archery. An archer on a running horse shoots three special "turnip-headed" arrows successively at three wooden targets....
is an annual festival which brings together horse-mounted archers, special arrows and targets, and Shinto ritual at Aso Shrine.
The Aso no Himatsuri festival has its origin in the month of March festivals such as Aso no Noyaki (the first burning in Aso) and Aso jinja no Hifuri shinji (the fire ritual of Aso Shrine). Although rarely performed today, ceremonies which honor ancestors who settled near the Aso caldera do continue to be associated with the Aso jinja.
External links
Aso shrine Aso city home page Aso shrine, images- Kyushu Tourist: Aso Shinre, images
- Kumamoto UniversityKumamoto Universityis a university located in Kumamoto, Japan. It was established on May 31, 1949, at which time the following institutions were subsumed into it; Kumamoto Teachers College , Kumamoto Pharmaceutical College , The Fifth High School , Kumamoto Medical College , and Kumamoto Technical College ....
: University Library, Aso manuscript collection - Hi-taki no shinji
- Hi-taki no shinji