Konoshimanimasu Amaterumitama-jinja Shrine (木嶋坐天照御魂神社)
Konoshimanimasu Amaterumitama-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Uzumasa, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City. It was listed in the Register of Deities of the Engishiki and was ranked as a Gosha (village shrine) under the old shrine classification system. The enshrined deity draws many worshippers as the god of rainmaking.
It is commonly referred to as Konoshima-jinja Shrine. It is also widely known as "Kaiko-no-Yashiro" (Silkworm Shrine) due to the Kokai-jinja Shrine enshrining the progenitor of textiles that stands to the east of the main hall.
Enshrined deities
The deities currently enshrined are Ameno-minakano-nushino-kami, Okunitamano-kami, Hoori and Ugayafukiaezu.
Konoshimanimasu Amaterumitama-jinja Shrine means 'a shrine in Konoshima that enshrines the god Amaterumitama' and it originally enshrined 'Ameterumitamano-kami.'
There are various theories as to which kami the name 'Ameterumitamano-kami' refers. "Kadonono-koori Jinja Meisaicho" (lit. Details of Shrines in Kadonono County) suggests that it may be Ninigi in addition to the deities named above. "Jinja Shiryo" considers it to be Amenohoakari. There are several other shrines in the Kansai area with the 'Amateru' as part of their names and these are thought to have originally enshrined the sun god of each area.
Japanese historical texts such as "Shoku Nihongi" refer to the shrine by the name 'Konoshima.'
The name 'Konoshima' (lit. Tree Island) is believed to have been given due to the trees that grow on plains appearing like islands of trees.
History
The shrine's origin is not clear but it is known from the reference to it in the "Shoku Nihongi" entry dated on April 3, 701 that the deity was enshrined before this date. It is classified in "Engishiki" as a Myojin Taisha and it is recorded that monthly festivals, Ainame festivals and Niiname festivals were conducted.
The Sagano area in which the shrine is situated once flourished with the ceramic, silkworm cultivation and textile technology of the Hata clan who had settled from the Korean Peninsula. This is also the reason for the presence of the silkworm shrine.
Buildings
The shrine buildings include the Honden (main hall), Higashi Honden (east main hall, Kokai-jinja Shrine described above) and Haiden (worship hall), which were all rebuilt during and after the Meiji period.
To the west of these buildings is the 'Mototadasuno-ike Pond' that is fed by a spring and in which stands a mihashira torii (mitsutorii). This extremely rare type of torii has three legs, three faces, is triangular in shape when viewed from above and is considered to be one of the three great torii of Kyoto. The origin of this torii is unknown and the current structure was rebuilt in 1831.