Munetada-jinja Shrine (宗忠神社)
The Munetada-jinja Shrines are Shinto shrines that enshrine Kurozumikyo founder Munetada KUROZUMI. They are located in Kyoto City and Okayama City, Munetada KUROZUMI's birthplace and the center of the Kurozumikyo religion.
Kyoto Munetada-jinja Shrine
Munetada KUROZUMI passed away in 1850, and was granted the deity name 'Munetada Daimyojin' by the imperial court in 1856. In 1862, Munetada's followers including Tadaharu AKAGI received part of the precinct of Yoshida-jinja Shrine on which they founded a shrine enshrining Munetada. The shrine was made a chokugansho (place of imperial prayer) in 1865, becoming deeply revered by the imperial household and court nobles. It was classified as a prefectural shrine during the Meiji era.
The shrine is also called 'Kaguraoka Munetaka-jnja Shrine' after the name of its location in order to differentiate it from the Munetada-jinja Shrine in Okayama.
The nagare-zukuri style (asymmetrical gable roof) main sanctuary was renovated in 1912. To the north of the main sanctuary stands Jinmei-gu Shrine which was relocated from the Nijo family estate and enshrines Amaterasu Omikami. Hakusan-sha Shrine enshrining Shirayamahime no Okami and Tadaharu-sha Shrine enshrining Tadaharu AKAGI (Akagi Tadaharu no Kami) also stand within the precinct.
Okayama Munetada Shrine
Okayama Munetada-jinja Shrine was constructed in Munetada's birthplace of Kaminakano (commonly known as Omoto), Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture in 1885. It is also known as 'Omoto-jinja Shrine' after the name of its location.
The 'Munetada-jinja Shrine Goshinko' festival is held every April and is the largest event in the Kurozumikyo calendar. This festival follows an imperial chariot containing the shintai (sacred object in which a deity is believed to reside) as it is paraded through the streets of Okayama to Koraku-en Garden, and is the main event of the Okayama Sakura Carnival.