Kawamata-jinja Shrine (河俣神社)
Kawamata-jinja Shrine is located in Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture. The shrine rank is shikinaisha (shrine listed on Engishikijinmyocho which was complied in 927) and sonsha (shrine taken care of by a village) in the old shrine ranking system.
Kotoshironushi (an ancient Japanese god) is enshrined.
History
"Izumono kokuso kamuyogoto" (an invocation of the god) described that 'the soul of Kotoshironushi no mikoto was enshrined in kannabi (sacred place where souls of gods get together) of unase' as a god to protect the Imperial family.
This 'unase' means 'unate,' which suggests that it is considered a shikinaitaisha listed on Engishikijinmyocho, 'Yamato no kuni takechi-gun, Takechinomiimasukamono kotoshiro-jinjja Shrine.'
(The shrine name of 'kawamata-jinja Shrine sanza' appeared in Engishikijinmyocho, but this is considered as Konoha-jinja Shrine near Kawamata-jinja Shrine.)
Nihonshoki' (Chronicles of Japan) indicated that in the time of the Jinshin War, Dairyo (the highest-ranking local officer) in Takechi-gun, Takechi no agatanushi kome was possessed by the soul of Kotoshironushi no kami supernaturally and delivered a divine message that the god of the shrine would protect Oama no miko (later the Emperor Tenmu). After Oamano miko was enthroned, Takechinomiimasukamono kotoshironushi no kami received shini (the rank of deity) for the first time in the history due to that miraculous efficacy. There is tanka in Manyoshu (the oldest anthology of tanka) about this shrine.
There is an event for clay soil in the precincts of Unebi yamaguchi-jinja Shrine in Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine (Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City). A priest who handles the event completes his costume in Kawamata-jinja Shrine as is customary, therefore, it is also commonly called 'shozoku no miya' (a shrine of costume).