Sanuki-jinja Shrine (讃岐神社)
Sanuki-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Koryo-cho, Kitakatsuragi-gun, Nara Prefecture. It is a shikinaisha (listed in the Engishiki Jinmyocho) and was classified as a sonsha (village shrine) under the old shrine ranking system.
Enshrined deities
At present, it is said that the shrine enshrines Kunitama, Wakaukanome-no-Mikoto and Omononushi.
"Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku" (a history book written in the Heian period) describes in the article of December 2 in 883 that Sanukiotakeru-no-Mikoto and Sanukiinoki-no-kami were conferred the divine rank of the Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade, which suggests they are the deities of the shrine.
History
The area in which the shrine is located (三吉) is pronounced as 'Mitsuyoshi' but was formerly written '散吉' and pronounced as 'Sanuki.'
The Inbe clan moved to the area from their birthplace in Sanuki Province and founded the shrine, transferring a divided tutelary deity to the new location. The shrine is listed as 'Sanuki-jinja Shrine, Hirose District, Yamato Province' and ranked as shosha (small shrine) in the Engishiki law.
The shrine was known as 'Hirose Daimyojin' or 'Minami Kawai Myojin' until the Edo period because of the transfer of the divided deity Wakaukanome-no-Mikoto from Hirose Kawai (the present Hirose Taisha Shrine) to the shrine. A fire broke out in January 1611 and the existing main hall was rebuilt after the fire.
Relevance to Taketori Monogatari (The tale of Bamboo Cutter)
The shrine claims to have a connection to Taketori Monogatari because 'Taketori no Okina,' a character in the story, is also known as 'Sanuki-no-Miyatsuko,' implying that the setting of the story is Sanuki-go, Hirose district, Yamato Province.