Rokusonno-jinja Shrine (六孫王神社)
Rokusonno-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Minami-ku Ward, Kyoto City (Kyoto City).
It enshrines MINAMOTO no Tsunemoto as the deity. Tsunemoto was the son of Imperial Prince Sadazumi, who was Emperor Seiwa's sixth son, and became known as 'Rokuson-o' (lit. Sixth Grandchild King) after he was the Emperor's grandchild. The shrine has been called 'the cradle shrine of the Seiwa-Genji (Minamoto clan)' as it was the legitimate heir and shrine founder MINAMOTO no Mitsunaka who assembled the samurai group of the Seiwa Genji.
Rokusonno-jinja Shrine was built on the former site of MINAMOTO no Tsunemoto's residence, 'Hachijo-tei'. The Tokaido Shinkansen Line runs over the east of the shrine precinct.
It is considered one of the 'three shrines of the Minamoto clan' along with Tada-jinja Shrine (Kawanishi City, Hyogo Prefecture) and Tsuboi Hachiman-gu Shrine (Habikino City, Osaka Prefecture).
History
In 961, near the end of Tsunemoto's life, he expressed his last request; 'I ask to be interred on this site after my passing, as I will become a dragon god and dwell in the lake of my estate where I will pray for the prosperity of my descendants.'
Legitimate heir Mitsunaka constructed Tsunemoto's tomb on the shrine's current site in 963, in front of which he built a main shrine building. This was to be the origin of Rokusonno-jinja Shrine. To this day, Tsunemoto's piled stone tomb remains behind the main shrine building.
During the Kamakura period, MINAMOTO no Sanetomo's wife Hongakuni built Henjo Shinin (Daitsu-ji Temple) on the site and Rokusonno-jinja Shrine became its guardian shrine. The shrine's main building was later lost as a result of various conflicts, leaving only Tsunemoto's tomb. The reconstruction of the main building was initiated in 1700 by the Edo bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun). This was because the Tokugawa family claimed themselves to be the descendants of the Seiwa Genji. In 1701, the shrine was awarded the title of Gongen (an avataro and Shoichii (Senior First Rank) of shinkai (ranks granted to Shinto gods). The main building was rebuilt during Hoei era (1704 - 1710).
It is for this reason that the annual festival held in October is known as 'Hoei-sai.'
The shrine went into decline along with the downfall of the Edo bakufu and was separated from Daitsu-ji Temple due to the separation of Buddhism and Shintoism. Daitsu-ji Temple was relocated in 1911 as its site was acquired by Japan National Railways.