Yasakatome

Yasaka Tome no Kami (八坂刀売神) is a Shinto goddess.

Yasakatome

She is considered to be the concubine of Takeminakata [en] no Kami, the enshrined deity of Suwa Taisha [en] Shrine, and is enshrined at Suwa Taisha Shitasha and Suwa Shrines in various places. She is not found in the Kojiki or the Nihonshoki, and is thought to be a unique god associated with Suwa.[1]

Although the name of Yasaka Tome no Kami is unknown, one theory suggests that 'Yasaka' is similar to 'Iyasaka,' and her divine name is thought to mean 'an increasingly prosperous woman' (Tome [ja]). [2]

There are different ideas about where Yasaka Tome no Kami came from because she is a goddess that is not mentioned in the ancient texts "Kojiki" or "Nihonshoki," and we only have incomplete stories about her.

There are different theories about Yasaka Tome no Kami's origin. One theory suggests that she was from the Azumi clan. According to the legend of Kawai-jinja Shrine in Kitaazumi-gun, she is believed to be the daughter of Watatsumi no Mikoto and the younger sister of Hotakami. [3][4]Another theory proposes that she is the daughter of Amayasakahiko no Mikoto, who descended from heaven following Nigihayahi no Mikoto. However, this theory is based on the name of the same god in the Edo period and may not have strong historical evidence[3][5]

There is a legend that Omiwatari (cracks that form in the ice on Lake Suwa) are formed when Takeminakata no kami, the god enshrined at kami sha (southern shrine building in Suwa taisha Shrine) visits shimo sha (northern shrine building in Suwa taisha Shrine) enshrining Yasakatome no kami.[6]

It is said that her father was Amenoyasakahiko no mikoto and that Yasakairihime no mikoto was her younger sister. Another folkloric myth says that Yasakatome no kami was a daughter of Watatsumi and a younger sister of Hotakami no mikoto.[6]

Related pages

References

  1. 「大法輪」第72巻1号、法藏館、90頁、2005年
  2. 宮坂光昭「強大なる神の国―諏訪信仰の特質」『御柱祭と諏訪大社』筑摩書房、1987年、40頁。
  3. 3.0 3.1 宮坂光昭「強大なる神の国―諏訪信仰の特質」『御柱祭と諏訪大社』筑摩書房、1987年、39頁。
  4. 太田亮『諏訪神社誌 第一巻』官幣大社諏訪神社附属 諏訪明神講社、1926年、12-13頁。
  5. 宮地直一『諏訪史 第2巻 後編』信濃教育会諏訪部会、1937年、19頁。
  6. 6.0 6.1 Yu, A. C. "Yasakatome no kami - Japanese Wiki Corpus". www.japanesewiki.com. Retrieved 2023-04-18.

Sources

Books
  • 上田正昭 他 (1987). 御柱祭と諏訪大社. 筑摩書房. ISBN 978-4-480-84181-0.上田正昭 他 (1987). 御柱祭と諏訪大社. 筑摩書房. ISBN 978-4-480-84181-0.
  • 太田亮『諏訪神社誌 第1巻』、官幣大社諏訪神社附属諏訪明神講社、1926年。
  • 諏訪市史編纂委員会, ed. (1995). 諏訪市史 上巻 (原始・古代・中世). 諏訪市.諏訪市史編纂委員会, ed. (1995). 諏訪市史 上巻 (原始・古代・中世). 諏訪市.
  • 福田晃, ed. (2015). 諏訪信仰の中世―神話・伝承・歴史. 二本松康宏、徳田和夫. 三弥井書店. ISBN 978-4-838-23288-8.福田晃, ed. (2015). 諏訪信仰の中世―神話・伝承・歴史. 二本松康宏、徳田和夫. 三弥井書店. ISBN 978-4-838-23288-8.
  • 宮坂光昭 (1992). 諏訪大社の御柱と年中行事. 郷土出版社. ISBN 978-4-876-63178-0.宮坂光昭 (1992). 諏訪大社の御柱と年中行事. 郷土出版社. ISBN 978-4-876-63178-0.
  • 宮地直一 (1931). 諏訪史 第2巻 前編. 信濃教育会諏訪部会.
  • 宮地直一 (1937). 諏訪史 第2巻 後編]. 信濃教育会諏訪部会.
  • 谷川健一, ed. (1987). 日本の神々―神社と聖地〈9〉美濃・飛騨・信濃. 白水社. ISBN 978-4-560-02509-3.谷川健一, ed. (1987). 日本の神々―神社と聖地〈9〉美濃・飛騨・信濃. 白水社. ISBN 978-4-560-02509-3.
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