| |
|
Words-and-Pictures:
Mishima Taisha
(as seen on September 16th, 2001,
on the Old Tokaido stage of the Aki
Meguri)
|
| Note:
This
major Shinto shrine, after which the city of Mishima was named, is in Shizuoka
Prefecture. It is Station #11 (from Tokyo) on the
Old Tokaido Highway. You can read about my visit to
Mishima Taisha in my Logbook. You may also choose to start reading about
my Tokaido
journey at the beginning, or start at the top of my Aki
Meguri pages. |
|
|
|
Although dating is difficult with such places, this
shrine is said to have been formally instituted more than 800 years old.
(One tree on the grounds is claimed to be more than 1,200 years old.)
The main buildings, however, were reconstructed in the early Meiji
period (late 19th century). According to the shrine's English
brochure, the shrine covers 50,000 square meters. Truly a Grand
shrine.
The main gods, by the way, are Oyamazumi-no-kami,
the God of (productive) land, and Kotoshiro-nushi-no-kami, the
God of (bountiful) sea. According to the brochure, these two
"bless the village people with a rich harvest and a big
catch."
|
|
|
Here are the
shrine's main buildings: The kagura stage for sacred
dance, and the honden behind. |
| Inside the honden were lots of
baby blessings going on. Outside were the obligatory photo
sessions. |
|
|
|
You often see young children with
their parents at shrines. This one is feeding the koi
(see below). |
| This dad and his little girl were
dancing on their way out toward the big torii. |
|
|
|
This miko (shrine
maiden--really just a volunteer, like a youth-group member) is
taking down a flag that was hanging in front of the honden. |
| Here a priest (or perhaps another
volunteer) walks down a corridor toward the front of the
shrine's enclosure. Like most shrines, Mishima Taisha
boasts all-wood construction--in this case, zelkova. |
|
|
|
Between the torii and the main
precinct is a pretty pond with this small shrine in the middle.
(The fish-feeder above was standing on this bridge.) |
| Other things to be found in the pond:
the ever-present turtles... |
|
|
|
...and a frenzy of koi whipped
up by the fish-feeder above. |
| |
HISTORY
