Kasanuimura (笠縫邑)
Kasanuimura, or Kasanui no mura, is the place where Toyosuki iribime no Mikoto, who was given responsibility, enshrined Amaterasu Omikami (the Sun Goddess) after she was transferred from her place of enshrinement at the Imperial Court in the sixth year of Emperor Sujin's reign. Yamatonookuni tama no Kami, who was removed from the Imperial Court at the same time, was enshrined at Oyamato-jinja Shrine by Nunaki iribime no Mikoto, who was given responsibility.
Kasanuimura, according to one theory, is associated with the place of origin of Daijo-sai festival (first ceremonial offering of rice by newly-enthroned Emperor) and Toyoakari no sechie (one of the ceremonies at a seasonal holiday).
There are various candidates for its presumed locations: Hibara-jinja Shrine (Miwa, Sakurai City), O-jinja Shrine (O, Tawaramoto-cho, Shiki-gun), Kasanui-jinja Shrine (Hananosho, Tawaramoto-cho, Shiki-gun, the southeast corner of the grounds of Jinraku-ji Temple), Kasayamako-jinja Shrine (Kasa, Sakurai City), Himemiko-jinja Shrine which is a sessha (an auxiliary shrine dedicated to a deity closely related to that of a main shrine) of O-jinja Shrine, Shiki no miagata niimasu-jinja Shrine (Kanaya, Sakurai City), Obuten-jinja Shrine (Obu, Sakurai City), Anashi niimasuhyozu-jinja Shrine (Anashi, Sakurai City), Asuka niimasu-jinja Shrine (Asuka, Asuka-mura, Takaichi-gun), the foot of the Itsukashi in Shiki (noted in March of the fifth year of Emperor Suinin's reign: the address is unknown), and others.
Hibara-jinja Shrine, Kasayamako-jinja Shrine, Obuten-jinja Shrine (in the mountains further east of Kasayamako-jinja Shrine), Anashi niimasuhyozu-jinja Shrine are literally in the mountains.
Furthermore, the name Jinraku (秦楽) related to Kasanui-jinja Shrine exists in the flatland called Jinraku (神楽) that spreads in front of and just below the Tsukiyama Kofun (ancient tomb) (Yamatotakada City) (Aza Tsukiyama, Tsukiyama, Yamatotakada City). According to one theory this Jinraku (神楽) was written as Jinraku (秦楽) in the olden days. It may suggest that they are related somehow.
When Yatsugikami no mikoto-jinja Shrine (also presumably Yatsuki Shinmei-jinja Shrine: the enshrined deity is Amenoakaru Toyotama no Mikoto) is viewed from O-jinja Shrine, it is the direction in which Jinraku and Tsukiyama Kofun are located. In reality, however, they cannot be seen for some unknown reason because they are hidden by 'Yatsugi no Mori' (Yatsugi Forest: the forest of Yatsugikami no mikoto-jinja Shrine), which has been protected with care by the local residents.
Or, it is possible that Hashihaka (Kofun) was seen from O-jinja Shrine when viewed in the direction of Himemiko-jinja Shrine. Himemiko-jinja Shrine was originally located further back (to the north: Kamiza (upper seat, seat of honor)) of O-jinja Shrine. Therefore, there is a possibility that it was relocated to the front (south, shimoza (lower seat)).
If O-jinja Shrine were to be the presumed location of Kasanuimura, these ancient tombs' locations would be a mirror image, with the south and the north, and the east and the west switched. However, it may be related to the origin of the Yuki-den building (the chigi (ornamental crossbeams on the gable of a Shinto shrine) in the sotosogi (the ends of the chigi are terminated with a vertical cut) form just like in the Gegu (outer shrine) of Ise-jingu Shrine), and the Suki-den building (the chigi is in the uchisogi (the ends of the chigi are terminated with a horizontal cut) form, just as in the Naigu (inner shrine) of Ise-jingu Shrine) of Daijo-sai festival.
Kasanui-jima Island in Osaka
A legend at Fukae Inari-jinja Shrine (Fukae-minami, Higashinari Ward, Osaka City) says that Fukae in the vicinity was the Kasanui family's residence, and that the family migrated from Kasanuimura in Yamato. As TAKECHI no Kuroto, a Manyo kajin (poet of Manyoshu (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves)), read in his poem, 'Climbing over Mt. Shihatsu I see Kasanui Island and a simple little rowing forth to disappear,' the area was called Kasanui-jima Island in the ancient times. Kasanui-jima Island was an island located in an inlet between the present-day Fukae to Ajiro, Higashiosaka City. It is believed that the Kasanui family lived on the island in order to secure the materials for straw hats. Therefore, it is speculated that the original Kasanuimura in Yamato was either a low-lying wetland or a land shaped like an island.
Even to this day, the straw hats used at Daijo-sai festival is presented to the Imperial Family from Fukae. Moreover, Fukae is said to be a region that is closely associated with a caster related to the goshinkyo mirror (sacred mirror) of the Imperial ancestor. There is a possibility that it is also related to Kagamitsukuri-jinja Shrine (including areas around Yao, Tawaramoto-cho, Shiki-gun).