大國魂神社
Ōkunitama Jinja
Tōkyō-to, Fuchū-shi, Miyamachi 3-1-1 東京都府中市宮町3-1-1
Nearest station: Fuchūhommachi Line: JR East
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History
Was established to enshrine Ōkunitama Ōkami (大國魂大神) as the guardian deity of Musashi Province. Ōkunitama Ōkami is another name for Ōkuni-nushi Ōkami, the kami of Izumo Taisha, who, in olden times, is said to have come from Izumo to Musashi to spread the elements of civilization, defined as clothing, food, and shelter, to the populace.
The shrine was founded on May 5, 111 (the shrine's home page omits the customary “it is said that”) in response to an order to build a shrine delivered through an oracle by Ōkunitama. It was built by descendants of
Ameno-hohi-mikoto ( 天之菩卑能命), one of the eight children born to Amaterasu and Susano-o following the August Oath. These descendants functioned as regional administrators for Musashi.
Following the Taika Reforms of 645 a provincial capital was formally established in Musashi and the shrine became the one at which the provincial governor prayed, giving it a special importance.
After this, the kami of of six of Musashi's main jinja were enshrined in six shrines to either side of the main hall. They are collectively referred to as the Rokuso, (六所 lit. “Six Places,”), and Ōkunitama Jinja thus became known as the Sosha for Musashi Province. Note that all of these six shrines still exist. In 1182 Minamoto Yoritomo had ceremonies praying for safe childbirth for his legal wife, Masako, held at the shrine, and in 1186 he
Enshrined Kami:
中殿
The Rokusho. 六所
The East Side 東殿
Ichinomiya: Ono Ōkami 一之宮：小野大神
Ninomiya: Okawa Ōkami 二之宮： 小河大神
Sannomiya: Hikawa Ōkami 三之宮： 氷川大神
The West Side 西殿
Shinomiya: Chichibu Ōkami 四之宮： 秩父大神
Gonomiya: Kanasana Ōkami 五之宮： 金佐奈大神
Rokunomiya: Sugiyama Ōkami 六之宮：杉山大神
In-ground Shrines:
Inari Jinja 稲荷神社
Miyanome Jinja 宮之咩神社
Matsuo Jinja 松尾神社
Tatsumi Jinja 巽神社
Tōshō-gū 東照宮
Sumiyoshi Jinja 住吉神社
Ōtori Jinja 大鳥神社
Sui Gami 水神
Annual Festival: May 15
authorized the construction of new shrine buildings. Repairs were carried out in 1232. Jumping forward over three centuries, the Tokugawa Bakufu recognized the importance of Ōkunitama as the Sosha for Musashi Province and granted it trading licenses worth 500 koku. In October 1646 the shrine was destroyed by fire; it was rebuilt in 1667 on the orders of the fourth Tokugawa Shōgun, Ietsuna, and these buildings survive to this day.
