Okadakuni-jinja Shrine (岡田国神社)
Okadakuni-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Kizugawa City, Kyoto Prefecture (formerly Kizu-cho, Soraku-gun County). The shrine is Shikinai-sha (shrine listed in Engishiki (codes and procedures on national rites and prayers)) and was ranked as a gosha (village shrine) under the old shrine classification system.
Enshrined Deities
The main deities are Ikukunitama no mikoto and SUGAWARA no Michizane which are enshrined with the associated deities Hachimanshin (God of War) (Emperor Chusui, Empress Jingu and Emperor Ojin). Ikukunitama no mikoto was enshrined in Okadakuni-jinja Shrine from its foundation. SUGAWARA no Michizane had been enshrined since the Heian period and this shrine was named Tenman-gu Shrine/Kizu-eki Soja Tenjinsha Shrine until the Edo period.
History
According to shrine legend, Okadakuni-jinja Shrine began with the enshrining of Ikukunitama no mikoto in September, 659. The first written reference to the shrine appears in the "Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku" (sixth of the six classical Japanese history texts) entry for the 27th day of the 1st month of the year 859 (March 9, 859) when it was granted the rank of Jugoinojo (Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade). It is classified as a taisha (grand shrine) in Engishiki Jinmyocho (a register of shrines in Japan).
Belief in Tenjin (heavenly deities) increased during the Heian period and SUGAWARA no Michizane (Tenjin) was enshrined alongside the existing deities, leading the shrine to become named Tenjin-gu Shrine. The Hachiman-gu was founded as Aidono (building in which subordinate deities are enshrined) in November, 938.
It was ranked as a gosha (village shrine) in the May 1873. In March 1878, the shrine was nationally determined to be the Okadakuni-jinja Shrine listed in the Engishiki Jinmyocho and renamed Okadakuni-jinja Shrine. Kasuga-jinja Shrine, a subsidiary shrine within the precinct of Katte-jinja Shrine (Ono, Kamo-cho, Kizugawa City), is also listed as ronja (shrines considered to be descendants of a shikinai-sha) of Okadakuni-jinja Shrine.
Precinct
In 1983, part of the approximately 132,400m² precinct was purchased by the Japan Housing Corporation and the money was used to construct a new shrine building. The former shrine building remains in its entirety and was designated a cultural property registered by Kyoto Prefecture in 1988.