| Kibitsu Jinja 吉備津神社 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Shinto |
| Deity | Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto |
| Festivals | Second Sunday in May and October 15th each year |
| Location | |
| Location | 931 Kibitsu, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama-ken 701-1341 |
  Kibitsu Jinja Show map of Okayama Prefecture Kibitsu Shrine (Bitchū) (Japan) Show map of Japan | |
 Interactive map of Kibitsu Jinja 吉備津神社 | |
| Coordinates | 34°40′14.4″N133°51′2.2″E / 34.670667°N 133.850611°E /34.670667; 133.850611 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
 Glossary of Shinto | |
Kibitsu Jinja (吉備津神社) is aShinto shrine in the Kibitsu neighborhood ofKita-ku, Okayama inOkayama Prefecture,Japan. It is theichinomiya (first shrine) of formerBitchū Province. The shrine's main festivals are held on the second Sunday in May and October 15th each year.[1]
The Kibitsu Jinja is located in the western part of Okayama city within walking distance ofKibitsu Station. The shrine faces north at the northwestern foot ofMount Kibi no Nakayama (吉備の中山; elevation: 175 meters) on the border between formerBizen Province andBitchū Province.[2][3][4][5] The mountain has been worshipped as asacred mountain from ancient times. Kibitsu Jinja was originally the general guardian ofKibi Province, but due to the division of Kibi Province into three provinces, it became theichinomiya of Bitchū, andbunrei from this shrine created theichinomiya of Bizen Province (Kibitsuhiko Jinja) andBingo Province (Kibitsu Shrine).
TheHonden-Haiden, which was re-built byAshikaga Yoshimitsu, is aNational Treasure and the sole exemplar of thekibitsu-zukuri style ofarchitecture, although theSoshidō ofHokekyō-ji is now believed to have been modeled thereon.[6][7] In addition, the three shrine buildings are designated as NationalImportant Cultural Properties, and a special Shinto ritual "Narukama Shinji" is famous.
The Shrine has a unique dual worship ofSorei or ancestral spirits alongsideMizuko kuyō[8]: 239 or cults of miscarried babies.
The shrine started as a place for the Kibi clan. It has the clan's ancestors as gods. This gives the shrine a pure and protective feel. The ancestors are seen as good and helpful spirits. This is how the shrine connects withmizuko.Mizuko means the souls of babies who died early or were not born.[8]: 239
The shrine places themizuko shrine next to the ancestor shrine. It also uses running water. This setup has several meanings:[8]: 239
This way, the Kibitsu Shrine uses its ties to the Kibi clan. It creates a respectful place formizuko. It links them to the shrine's ancestral and protective gods.[8]: 239
Thekami enshrined at Kibitsu Jinja are:
The origins of Kibitsu Jinja are uncertain. According to the shrine's legend, it is located at the site of Kibitsuhiko-no-Mikoto's residence, where he died at the age of 281, and was buried on the summit of the mountain. Afterwards, the residence was turned into a shrine, possibly by his fifth generation descendent Narumi Kaya, or byEmperor Nintoku, who visitedKibi Province where he built several shrines to commemorate Kibitsuhiko. However, the shrine does not appear in any historical documentation until the lateHeian period, until entry in theShoku Nihon Kōki dated 847 and theNihon Montoku Tennō Jitsuroku dated 852. In theEngishiki it was given the rank ofMyojin Taisha (名神大社) and the rank ofichinomiya of the province. From theKamakura through theSengoku period, was revered by the samurai, and there were frequent restorations of the shrine and donations of territory.[citation needed]
During theEdo period, the shrine's land became smaller. However, it still got a special land grant from the shogunate. This grant was for 160 koku of rice every year. There was a busy market near the shrine. People also visited teahouses and inns there. Inside the shrine area, there was a theater and a brothel. The shrine was a busy place along theSan’yodō for travellers. This continued until theMeiji Restoration..[8]: 282
After theMeiji Restoration in 1871, it was listed as a National Shrine, 2nd rank (国幣中社,Kokuhei Chusha), and is 1914 was promoted to a Imperial Shrine, 2nd rank (官幣中社,Kampei Chusha).[9][10]
The shrine is a ten-minute walk fromKibitsu Station on theJR WestKibi Line.
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