Owari Ōkunitama Shrine
| Owari Ōkunitama Shrine 尾張大国霊神社 | |
|---|---|
Heiden of Owari Ōkunitama Shrine | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Shinto |
| Deity | Ōkuninushi Okunitama |
| Location | |
| Location | Inazawa-shi, Aichi-ken |
Shown within Aichi Prefecture Owari Ōkunitama Shrine (Japan) | |
| Coordinates | 35°15′22″N 136°48′18.5″E / 35.25611°N 136.805139°E |
| Architecture | |
| Established | pre-Nara period |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
| Glossary of Shinto | |
Owari Ōkunitama Shrine (尾張大国霊神社, Owari Ōkunitama Jinja) is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was the sōja of Owari Province. The main kami enshrined is Ōkuninushi. The shrine's main festival is held annually on May 6. Due to its location near the site of the Nara period provincial capital of Owari Province, it is also called the Kōnomiya Shrine (国府宮神社) or Kōnomiya (国府宮)
History
The original construction of this shrine is unknown. Although nominally dedicated to Ōkuninushi, this affiliation is uncertain, and the shrine asserts that it is dedicated to the tutelary spirits of the ancestors of the people of Owari. It became the sōja of Owari during the Nara period, and is mentioned in the Heian period Engishiki records. During the pre-World War II Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines, the shrine was ranked as a National Shrine, 3rd rank kokuhei-shōsha (国幣小社).
Two of the shrine's structures have been designated national Important Cultural Properties:
- Rōmon, built in early Muromachi period[1]
- Heiden, built in the early Edo period[2]
One of the biggest and oldest Hadaka Matsuris is the shrine's Hadaka Matsuri, which originated over 1300 years ago. Every year, people participate in this festival in hopes of gaining luck for the entire year. The most famous part of the festival is when the shin-otoko (神男) enters the stage and has to find a way back to the shrine, called naoiden. The participatants must try and touch the shin-otoko to transfer their bad luck. During the nighttime ceremony, all the bad luck is transferred in a charcoal colored giant mochi. The black mochi is made with rice mixed with the ashes of the burned omamori from last year. The mochi is then buried in a secret location in the nearby forest.[3]
Women took part in the festival for the first time on 22 February 2024, with a group of 41 women having a minor role.[4][5]
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Torii and entry
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Gate (ICP)
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Hadaka Matsuri
See also
References
- ^ "尾張大国霊神社楼門" (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs.
- ^ "尾張大国霊神社拝殿" (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs.
- ^ "Konomiya Hadaka Matsuri (Naked Festival of Owari Okunitama Shrine)". Aichi Tourism. 2021-02-24. Archived from the original on 2021-09-12. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
- ^ McCurry, Justin (2024-01-25). "Women in Japan allowed to take part in 'naked festival' for first time". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
- ^ Lau, Himari Semans, Chris (11 May 2024). "Women joined a millennium old "naked festival" in Japan for the first time. Here's why that's groundbreaking". CNN.
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External links
Media related to Owari Ōkunitama Shrine at Wikimedia Commons