Akagi Shrine (Fujimi-machi)

Akagi. The shrine is located on Mt. Akagi and sits on a peninsula (Kotorigashima) jutting out from the eastern shore of the Onuma Swamp at the top of Mt. It enshrines the god of water.

Although its official name is Akagi Shrine, it is also called “Daido Akagi Shrine” to distinguish it from other Akagi shrines. It is one of the approximately 300 Akagi shrines in Japan, mainly in the Kanto region, and is considered the main shrine.

Located on the shore of Lake Onuma on Mt. Akagi, where a beautiful vermilion-lacquered building stands, the shrine is known as one of the top power spots in Gunma Prefecture. The legend of Princess Akagi, who is said to have been summoned by “Akagi-daimyojin,” the goddess of Mt. Akagi and the lake, makes this place especially beloved by women, as it is believed that women’s wishes will surely come true if they pray to this goddess.

At the shrine, the ancient ritual of “Nogami” is performed, and more than 1,000 bronze mirrors are dedicated to the goddess. Various rituals and events are held during the summer and fall festivals, which are popular among amateur photographers. The shrine appears to float on the lake, enveloped in a rising mist, which is fantastic and offers different scenery depending on the season and time of day. It is definitely worth a stop when visiting the area.

History

Founded

The date of the shrine’s founding is unclear, but according to shrine legend, Toyoshi-Irihiko no Mikoto enshrined the spirits of the mountains and swamps when he ruled Kamigeno. Later, it is said that the shrine was established during the reigns of Emperor Yunkyo and Emperor Yomei.

When the shrine was first built, it was enshrined on the hillside of Mt. At this time, the Konuma Palace (No-Gu, later Toyoke Shrine) was built on the shore of Konuma. During this period, the name of the mountain was changed to “Oodoro” and the shrine came to be commonly known as “Oodoro Akagi Shrine. However, “O-doro” is also written as “O-do” and it is said that there was a hall on the top of the mountain.

Akagi, and was enshrined as Akagi-daimyojin on Mt. Akagi and Akanuma-daimyojin in the swamp since ancient times, and an old mirror used for rituals has been found in the lake.

Heian to Sengoku Period

From the Heian to the Sengoku period, there are records in the Rikkokushi (the history of the six provinces of Japan) of the dedication of a deity to “Akagi-no-kami.” In the Engishiki Shinmeicho (the book of names of deities) from the mid-Heian period, “Akagi Shrine, Setagun, Ueno Province” is mentioned as Meishin-taisya (Meishin-taisha). During this period, the mountain shrine of Akagi Shrine developed as a center of faith for ascetic practitioners during the period of Shintoism and Buddhism.

In addition, the “Shinto Shu” of the Nanbokucho period (1644-1644) contains a story about Akagi Daimeishin of Akagi Shrine, with descriptions of shrines enshrined in Oninuma and Koninuma. This record is considered the oldest historical document that identifies the location of Akagi Shrine.

Edo Period

Daido Akagi Shrine first appeared on the historical stage in the Edo period (1603-1868), when Shigetada Sakai, who entered the city in 1601 as the lord of the castle in Umabashi (Maebashi), devoted himself to the shrine, which was located at the demon’s gate, and the subsequent lords of the domain followed his example. It is said that Shigetada Sakai proposed to the Shogunate to rebuild the “Shoichi Akagi Daimyojin/Akagi Shrine” and completed the work. The subsequent feudal lord Tadayo Sakai enshrined Ieyasu Tokugawa in the Soden. In addition, Juenji Temple was designated as a separate temple by the Sakai family.

In 1641, the shrine building was destroyed by fire due to lightning, and a new building was constructed by Tadaze Sakai. The original mountain worship and the enshrinement of Tosateru Daigongen (Tokugawa Ieyasu) made the shrine the object of worship for the shoguns of the Tokugawa shogunate and feudal lords from all over Japan. On the “Ugetsu 8,” the festival of the opening of the mountain, many worshippers came from all over the Kanto region for the “Akagi Pilgrimage,” and the shrine was crowded with visitors. During this period, branch shrines were invited to various places under the protection of the shogunate.

During the Kansei era, a dispute arose with the Miyazawa Akagi Shrine over the phrases “head shrine” and “main shrine.” In 1798, when the Yoshida family granted the Shoichi rank to the Miyazawa Akagi Shrine, there was a request for the same rank to the Ohdora Akagi Shrine. However, the Yoshida family opposed this request, and the Miyazawa side likewise refused. The following year, however, the Shirakawa Hakou family, which had been at odds with the Yoshida family, dedicated a plaque to Ohdora Akagi Shrine with the inscription “Ueno Province Soja Ohdora Akagi Shrine. This plaque was to be displayed at the annual Senju Kannon Gokaicho in Maebashi. The Miyazawa side objected to this and filed a lawsuit in 1800 against Juenji, a separate shrine of Oho Akagi Shrine, and the Shirakawa Hakuei family. Kawagoe feudal lord Matsudaira interceded, and the face value remained sealed, and the annual gokaicho at Daido was held as scheduled. However, the dispute did not end, and in 1802 (Kyowa 2), the Miyazawa side appealed to the shogunate’s magistrate for temples and shrines, requesting that the matter be settled at the national court. Finally, in 1816, a settlement was reached by mutual consent of both sides, whereby the face value was paid into the inner sanctuary and the use of the wording was decided.

After the Meiji Era

Due to the movement to abolish Buddhism in the Meiji era, the relationship with Juenji was severed and a new priest was appointed from those who promoted the movement to abolish Buddhism in the local area. Furthermore, the harsh climate of Mt. Akagi caused the shrine buildings to fall into disrepair, and plans were made to rebuild them, but there was a period of time when this did not materialize. Between 1887 and 1910, several shrines on Mt. Akagi were enshrined together, including Toyoke Shrine in Konuma, Itsukushima Shrine on Kotorigashima, and Takao Shrine atop Mt.

In addition, the shrine was designated as a township shrine under the modern shrine ranking system. There was a movement to combine the three shrines of Sanyazawa, Daido, and Ninomiya and elevate them to the status of Chusha of the National Treasury, but this was not realized due to the end of the war.

In 1970, the shrine was relocated to its current location on Kotorigashima (the site of Itsukushima Shrine) and a new shrine building was rebuilt. At that time, there was an opposition movement from the viewpoint of environmental protection of Kotorigashima.

In 2006, a large-scale restoration work was carried out on the occasion of the 1,200th anniversary of the Ohedo Gosengu.

Precincts of the Shrine

The shrine grounds were moved from the former Ohdoro site in 1970. The present shrine pavilions were rebuilt at that time.

On Kotorigashima, there is a sutra mound site dating from the Nanbokucho period, known as the “Kotorigashima Site.” A fragment of a copper sutra tube and 10 mirrors were found under a polypore pagoda inscribed in Oan 5, which bears an inscription indicating the Lotus Sutra buried in 1372. These artifacts, along with the pagoda and sutra case, are designated as cultural assets of Gunma Prefecture, symbolizing the belief in the syncretism of Shintoism and Buddhism.