Katsuragi Hitokotonushi-jinja Shrine (葛城一言主神社)

Katsuragi hitokotonushi-jinja Shrine is located in Gose City, Nara Prefecture. It is in the foothills of the southeast direction of Mt. Yamato Katsuragi, facing in the east direction. The enshrined Hitokotonushi no kami is 'the god that clearly delivers just one word of oracle about both wrong things and good things'. Therefore, people believe that the god grants just one request of theirs and then, it attracts believers being called 'ichigon (ji)-san'.

Enshrined deity

It enshrines the god, Hitokotonushi together with the Emperor Yuryaku. As "Kojiki" (the Records of Ancient Matters) and 'Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan) suggested, this is because the Emperor Yuryaku coincidentally met a manifestation of Hitokotononushi no kami. Also, with the similarity of deification between Hitokotonushi no kami and Kotoshiro no nushi as a god that delivers oracle, some materials indicate that these two gods are the same. Additionally, Ajisukitakahikone, which was worshiped by the Kamo clan whose birthplace was its neighborhood, was considered a divided soul of Hitokotonushi no kami.

History

The place where the shrine is located is said to be a place where Hitokotonushi no kami manifested itself as mentioned above. Also, it is said that Kamiyama (a mountain where god exists) at the back of the shrine is 'Kamitachi,' the very place where the god manifested itself. There is an oral tradition that the whole area of the shrine was home of the Katsuragi clan and the Imperial Palace for the Emperor Suizei (Takaoka-no miya) was there.

It was recorded as Katsuraginiimasu Hitokotonushi-jinja Shrine in Engishikijinmyocho (a list of shrines compiled in 927) and ranked among Myojin-taisha Shrines. In 850, it received the shrine rank of Shosanmi (The Third Rank, Senior Grade) and then, in 859, it got promoted to Junii (The Second Rank, Junior Grade).

Hitokoto-dera Temple existed as Jungu-ji Temple, but it was abolished during the movement of Shinbutsu bunri (separation of Shinto and Buddhism) in the Meiji period.

Precincts

The sacred tree is a 1200 year-old ginkgo tree (nyu ginkgo tree whose aerial roots are hanging from branches like breasts) and is located in the south direction of the main shrine.

Other shrines within the precincts.

Other shrines within the precincts are located to the north of the main shrine.

Izumo-sha Shrine

Hachiman-sha Shrine

Tenman-jinja Shrine

Sumiyoshi-jinja Shrine

Haraedo-jinja Shrine

Hitokoto inari-jinja Shrine

Ichikishimahime-jinja Shrine

[Original Japanese]