Shikaumi Shrine

Shikaumi Shrine [ja] is a Shinto shrine located in Fukuoka.[1][2] It is located on Shikanoshima island[3] where the Azumi people used to live.[4]

Shikaumi Shrine
Shikaumi-jinja haiden.JPG
Affiliation Shinto
Deity Watatsumi

The famous King of Na gold seal was discovered on the same island as the shrine.[5]

The shrine has historical connections to foreign wars because it was the place from which Empress Jingū launched her invasion of Korea, and it was also a site of conflict during the Mongol invasions of Japan.[1]

The Azumi people traditionally followed the sea God, Watatsumi.[6] The Shrine is considered their ancestral shrine and honors their god Watatsumi.[7]

The shrine is taken care of by a priest who is believed to be a descendant of the Azumi clan. The biennial gojinkosai ceremony held at the shrine is recognized as an intangible cultural property by the prefecture.[7]

The shrine, incorporates a deer motif in its rituals and designs. The deer motif is significant to the Azumi people and their beliefs, and is a common feature in the historic culture of the region.[8]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Wakabayashi, Haruko. "The Mongol Invasions and the Making of the Iconography of Foreign Enemies: The Case of Shikaumi jinja engi". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. "Shikaumi Shrine". The Official Guide to Fukuoka City - yokanavi.com. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  3. "Shikanoshima Island". Fukuoka Kotsu (in 日本語). Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  4. "Shikaumi-jinja Shrine Okitsu-gu Shrine". VISIT FUKUOKA. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  5. National Treasures of Japan – Exhibition catalogue, April 10 - May 27, 1990, Tokyo National Museum (in Japanese). Yomiuri Shimbun. 1990.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  6. Rambelli, F (2018). The Sea and The Sacred in Japan. Camden: Bloomsbury Academic Publishing. pp. preface. ISBN 978-1350062870.
  7. 7.0 7.1 "Shikaumi Jinja Gojinkosai". DyDo GROUP Matsuri of Japan. Archived from the original on 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  8. Rambelli, F (2018). The Sea and The Sacred in Japan. Camden: Bloomsbury Academic Publishing. pp. preface. ISBN 978-1350062870.