Arahaba Shrine in Iwadeyama | Has it been enshrined for 2,000 years? A shrine dedicated to the mysterious ancient god Arahaba, whose name is even inscribed in the place name [Miyagi Prefecture]

Iwadeyama, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture

Here you'll find a shrine dedicated to the mysterious ancient deity "Arahabaki," who is said to have resided here for two thousand years

What's amazing about this shrine is its address

164 Iwadeyama Shimoichikuri Arahagihaba, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture

...And the name "Arahabaki" is even inscribed in the place name. This article delves into the mystery of the Arahabaki Shrine in Iwadeyama and the enigmatic ancient god "Arahabaki."

Who is the ancient god "Arahabaki"?

"Arahabaki"is a deity that was worshipped mainly in the Tohoku and Kanto regions of Japan. It is believed to have existed since ancient times, butit does not appear in Japanese mythology (Kojiki and Nihon Shoki).

Therefore, it is thought to be a deity originating from the local beliefs of ancient Japan, from the Tohoku region to the Kanto region. However, because it is so ancient and, as mentioned above, not mentioned in any documents, its true identity and origin remain unknown to this day

From the Middle Ages onward, the name appears in shrine histories and records using various spellings such as "荒脚巾," "荒覇吐," "荒吐," and "荒波々幾." However, it is highly likely that these are kanji characters that were assigned later, and it is considered most appropriate to refer to it using the katakana spelling "ARHABAKI."

There are various theories regarding "what kind of god it is." Some of them are listed below

• The legend of the god of feet and travel
• Snake God Theory
• The theory of the guardian deity
• The Emishi God Theory
• The theory that he is the ancestral deity of ironmaking
• The theory of sexual deities related to the ancient Ainu language

Furthermore, a search for "Arahabaki" on the internet reveals several mentions that the Shakoki Dogu (goggle-eyed clay figurine ) unearthed from sites such as the Kamegaoka ruins in Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture, represents Arahabaki. However, the source of this information is the description in an ancient historical text called the Tsugaru Sotosangunshi, which is widely considered a forgery , and its reliability is questionable.

In other words, its appearance, origin, and even what kind of god it isall unknown, and"Arahabaki"has been passed down to the present day.

Details of each theory are explained in the following article

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Arahagihaba Shrine in Tagajo | Was it the guardian deity of the Tagajo government office, created to repel the Emishi (indigenous people of northern Japan)? [Miyagi Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/54636

The mysterious ancient god "Arahabaki"... This enigmatic deity is said to have been worshipped mainly in the Tohoku and Kanto regions, but even today, the most famous shrine bearing its name is the "Arahabaki Shrine" located in Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture. This article delves into the mystery of the ancient god "Arahabaki" and the Arahabaki Shrine in Tagajo. Who is the ancient god "Arahabaki"? "Arahabaki" is a god believed to have existed since ancient times, worshipped mainly in the Tohoku and Kanto regions, but it does not appear in the Japanese myths (Kojiki and Nihon Shoki). Therefore, it is not found in the Tohoku and Kanto regions...

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The surprising contents written on the explanatory sign at Arahagihaba Shrine in Iwadeyama

There is a very interesting explanatory sign at the site that explains the origins and other details of the Arahagihaba Shrine

It appears to be quite old, and the writing is quite faded, making some parts illegible, but I have transcribed what I could make out below

First of all, what's surprising is the founding date.it is "a local tutelary deity that has been enshrined for 2,000 years"is true, then it means that it has been enshrined in this place since around the turn of the millennium.

Furthermore,it was "worshipped as the ancestral and guardian deity of the ancient indigenous people (Arahabaki tribe/Arahabaki tribe)"suggests that Arahabaki referred not to a god, but to the indigenous people themselves. It should be noted that the theory that the Oshu Abe clan worshipped it as their family's guardian deity is also found in descriptions of other Arahabaki shrines.

"The Arabaki tribe's royal castle was moved from Asago in Yoneyama-cho before the Common Era, to Tagajo after the Common Era, and then to Miyazawa in Furukawa City (302 AD),"although the address has changed due to mergers and other reasons, it is thought that this refers to the area around Asago Shrine in Yoneyama-cho, Tome City, Tagajo refers to Tagajo City, and Miyazawa in Furukawa City refers to Miyazawa in Furukawa, Osaki City.

If true, these would all be surprising descriptions representing new discoveries... However,the ancient indigenous people (Arahaki tribe/Arahagi tribe)the aforementioned"Tōtsugaru Gaisan-gunshi," which raises some doubts about its authenticity.

The appearance of Arahagi Shrine in Iwadeyama

Arahagihaba Shrine is located in a rural area right next to National Route 108, which runs from Osaki City to Naruko Onsen

At the entrance to the path leading to the shrine, there is an explanatory sign and a marker post proclaiming the deity of "water warts"..

Both the torii gate and the shrine itself show considerable age, but they are by no means dilapidated, and the grounds are beautifully maintained with flowers planted throughout. Incidentally, the road visible on the right in the photo above is National Route 108

Many scraps of fabric are tied to the shrine, which I imagine are offerings of leg coverings related to the aforementioned "theory of the god of feet and travel."

Some of them appeared to be human figures made of cloth. I had no idea what they meant..

Behind the shrine is a stone monument inscribed with "Miyoshi Shrine." It is likely a monument donated as a memento of a visit

To the left of the shrine was a stone shrine that appeared to be dedicated to Inari, the fox deity. The custom of offering money was quite wild, as it was simply placed on the ground

lastly

From the moment I learned of the existence of the ancient god Arahabaki, I became interested and have visited Arahabaki shrines throughout the Tohoku region. However, in most cases, there was only the fact that the god was "worshipped," with almost no explanations or explanations

However, there are detailed explanations here, which really spark the imagination..

The exact date the explanatory sign was installed is unknown, but its degree of weathering suggests it was placed sometime between the Showa and Heisei periods

Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that the content of the "History of Ichiura Village, Materials Edition" (a three-part series) published by Ichiura Village, Kitatsugaru District, Aomori Prefecture (now Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture) between 1975 and 1977 , which caused a great stir with both praise and criticism, is now almost certainly considered a "forgery," and may have been embellished based on it.

For the reasons stated above, we cannot confirm the veracity of the information provided, but this is a shrine that anyone who feels a sense of romance in the mysteries of ancient Tohoku should definitely visit!

Aoiwa

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