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In Zao Town, Katta County, Miyagi Prefecture, sandwiched between National Route 4 and the Tohoku Expressway near the border with Shiroishi City, there is a shrine called Kattamine Shrine (Shiratori Daimyojin)
It is one of three shrines in Zao Town that Kattamine is also the center of the swan faith
The origins of Kattamine Shrine (Shiratori Daimyojin)
The name of Kattamine Shrine first appeared during the Nara period (around the early 700s), when there is a record that "the Imperial Court bestowed Kobe on the god of Kattamine."
At that time, Kattamine Shrine was said to have been located on the summit of Mt. Aoso, located in the eastern part of the Zao mountain range, but there are various theories about its origins
It was built on the summit of Mt. Aoso, overlooking the sacred mountain Mt. Katta
Mount Aoma itself is called Mount Ogatta, and Mount Ogatta itself is considered a sacred mountain, with a shrine built on its summit
According to theory 1, at the time, Mt. Katta was a dangerous active volcano that frequently displayed divine power through eruptions, and it was also believed that setting foot on the sacred grounds of Mt. Katta was an affront to the gods, so the shrine was built on the summit of Mt. Katta
According to theory 2, at the time, Mount Aoma Mount Ogatta , and it is said that Mount Ogatta itself was considered a sacred mountain, with the shrine built on its summit.
The Swan Legend of Yamato Takeru, handed down in Katta and Shibata counties, and the Swan Shrine in Nishinomiya
Emperor Yamato Takeru and Admiral Kawakami - New Year's painting by Yoshi Tsukioka (Source: Wikipedia )
Yamato Takeru visited this place around the 4th century, which dates back to the founding of Kattamine Shrine
Swan Legend Sign
Long ago, Emperor Yamato Takeru visited this area on an expedition. During his expedition, Emperor stayed at the mansion of a local wealthy man. He fell in love with the wealthy man's daughter, who looked after him as his attendant, and the two had a son. Eventually, Emperor returned to the capital, leaving his wife and child behind. The boy born to Emperor and his daughter was extraordinary even at a young age. The villagers, fearing that the boy would surely become capable of conquering the land when he grew up, conspired to throw the boy into the river. However, the boy transformed into a swan and flew off to the west. After that, disasters began to occur in the village. Fearing that this was divine punishment, the villagers built a shrine at the foot of the mountain to the west from which the swan flew off, and begged for forgiveness. It is said that peace returned to the village after that. This region still has many place names associated with the swan legend, such as "Uchikata," where the rich man's daughter lived, "Kosutegawa," where the boy was dumped, and "Nishinomiya," where a shrine was built to worship the boy who turned into a swan.
May 24, 2008 Zao Town Board of Education
The Shiratori Shrine in Nishinomiya appears in this legend is said to be the origin of the Shiratori legend that has long been passed down in this area.In fact, there is a place called Nishinomiya to the west of the current Kattamine Shrine, and it seems that the shrine was moved from there to its current location in the 1500s.
It is enshrined together with the Shiratori Shrine in Nishinomiya, which enshrines Yamato Takeru
In 801 during the Heian period, Sakanoue no TamuramaroEmishi, he prayed for victory at the aforementioned Shiratori Shrine in Nishinomiya , and it is said that he was victorious over the armies of Aterui and Iwagu no More
Later, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro merged Kattamine Shrine, located on the summit of Mount Aoma, with the Shiratori Shrine in Nishinomiya. This can be seen in the current Kattamine Shrine, where "Mine Shrine""Shiratori Daimyojin" can be seen on the worship hall
The plaque on the Zuishinmon Gate reads "Mine Shrine"
The plaque on the worship hall reads "Shiratori Daimyojin"
As time passed, in December 869, Karitamine-no-kami was awarded the rank of Junior Fourth Rank
For this reason, in 927, the Engishiki Shinmeicho, a list of shrines from all over the country at the time, listed the shrine as a "Myojin Taisha," a title given to a god who has been said to have particularly remarkable miraculous powers since ancient times , and it can be seen that the shrine attracted the faith of many people as the main shrine of Katta County.
Although it fell into ruin with the downfall of the Oshu Fujiwara clan, it was enshrined as the guardian deity of the Katakura clan during the Warring States period
At the end of the Heian period, was under the protection of the Oshu Fujiwara clan There is a record that Minamoto no Yoritomo
In the 1500s, a man named Sato Masanori started a restoration plan, and at that time the shrine was moved from Nishinomiya, which was inconveniently located on an old road, to its current location, which was easier for visitors to reach
After that, the shrine continued to fall into disrepair and be rebuilt repeatedly until the 1600s, when the Date clan came under its rule and Katakura Kagetsuna became the lord of Shiroishi Castle, a large-scale restoration was carried out by the Katakura clan over two generations, under the first Kagetsuna and the second Shigenaga, who cleared out the old shrine and renovated the various buildings.
After that, it was protected for a long time as the guardian deity of Katta County , vassals of the Date clan
At the end of the Edo period, when the Tohoku forces were defeated in the Boshin War and the Katakura family left Shiroishi to emigrate to Hokkaido to pioneer, they enshrined a branch of the spirit of Emperor Yamato Takeru from Kattamine Shrine and enshrined it at a local shrine in Noboribetsu, Hokkaido , renamed "Karita Shrine,"
The large torii gate at the entrance to Kattamine Shrine
The large torii gate of Kattamine Shrine
Zuishinmon
Zuishinmon Gate is a designated cultural property of Zao Town. It has a plaque bearing the name "Mine Shrine" hanging on it
Zuishinmon Gate of Kattamine Shrine
worship hall
Like the Zuishinmon Gate, the worship hall is a designated cultural property of Zao Town. It bears a plaque reading "Shiratori Daimyojin."
Kattamine Shrine's worship hall
The offering box is decorated the "Marunouchi-Tachihikimon" crest
The official crest of the Date clan, "Marunouchi with three vertical lines"
Main shrine
in 1718 Murayasu, the fifth head of the Shiraishi Katakura family, and is registered as a designated cultural property of Miyagi Prefecture.
The main hall of Kattamine Shrine
Shiratori Monuments
The Shiratori ancient monuments are located behind the main shrine .
The Shiratori Monuments at Kattamine Shrine
All the stone monuments have carvings of what appears to be a swan. "Swan Cemetery" suggests that the remains of a swan may be buried there. (Cemetery means graveyard or graveyard.)
Shiratori Monument with the inscription of 1661
The oldest stone monument is inscribed with the date 1673 (Kanbun 13)
summary
Although there are some differences in the descriptions in both the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki, they both share the belief in swans, worshiping Yamato Takeru, who is recorded as having died in Ise and turned into a swan .
the mountain worshipthe Zao mountain range, which has its roots in Shugendo , is a rare combination of these two
If you have the opportunity to visit the southern part of Miyagi Prefecture, be sure to visit this shrine
Traveling around the Tohoku region, I enjoy drinking delicious sake and exploring the local history, traditions, and customs. I write articles based on my interests. I'm currently interested in folk performing arts, local toys, and folk beliefs
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