Kamado shrine~History & Deities｜fukuoka｜in kyushu｜jinja data｜learning 'jinja'－havin' a coffee break

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History

Mount Hōman, or "Hōman-zan", where Kamado shrine is, has been considered as a sacred mountain since ancient times. It has also been called by the names "Mikasa-yama" or "Kamado-yama". The oldest name is "Mikasa-yama". It was called by this name because the mountain looks like a "kasa" when it is seen from Futsukaichi. A "kasa" is a bamboo hat, and since kasas were considered to be an object divine spirits resides in, it is seen that the mountain it self had been considered as a goshintai. There are two theories of the origin of the name "Kamado-yama". One is the rock called "Kamado-iwa" located in the ninth station of the mountain. Another theory is that the mountains shape is like a "kamado", that is a traditional cooking stove, and the clouds and fog was always covering the mountain, making it look like a kamado being used to cook.

About 1300 years ago, under the reign of Emperor Tenji, the Dazaifu, a regional government office was established to govern the western part of Japan. Since Mount Hōman was located in the 'Kimon', north-east which is considered to be the unlucky direction, of the Dazaifu government office, religious services became to be held on top of the mountain to provide protection of the Dazaifu. Various artifacts, such as Wadōkaichin coins and Nara sansai ceramic, those are relics of national ritual services, have been found from under the rock on top of the mountain, where the Uemiya of Kamado shrine is now.

In 673, it is said that, when a Buddhist monk Shinren was performing religious austerities in the mountain, Toyotamahime-no-mikoto had appeared. After Shinren reported about this event to the Imperial Court, the Uemiya was built under the order of the Imperial Court. In the official history of the shrine, this is the Establishment of the Kamado shrine. Around this time, a temple was also built at the foot of the mountain, and was called by the names "Kamadosanji", "Daisenji" or "Uchiyamaji".

Since religious services at Kamado-san had strong relations with the Dazaifu and the Imperial Court, those who were going to sail across the sea as a part of the missions to Sui China and Tang China also climbed the mountain to wish for a safe journey. It is told that, in 803, Saichō, the founder of the Tendai school of Buddhism, offered prayers on the mountain. He had stayed in Chikushi for about a year while he waiting for repairs of the ship taken by the envoy, he confined himself in Kamado-san and carved four statues of Yakushi, wishing for the success of the mission and a safe voyage.

Around the Heian period and Kamakura period, Kamado-san flourished and became a large temple with more than 300 shukubōs at the foot of the mountain. In the syncretised worship of Shinto with Buddhism, the god of Kamado was called "Kamado-daibosatsu". And the mountain became to be called "Hōman-zan", like today. Also, the mountain became a practice place of Shugendō priests.

The god of Kamado was presented the rank of Jugoi-no-jō, Junior Fifth Rank Upper Grade, in 840. After several promotions, in 1106, the highest rank of Shōichī, Senior First Rank, was presented to the god. Also, in 927, the shrine was listed as Myōjin-taisha, in the Engishiki list of gods.

The shrine was also devoutly worshipped by Samurai families. It is said that the Shōni clan, those main castle, Uchiyama castle, was located on the mountain side of Mount Hōman, wished for victory at the Kamado shrine and overcame the Mongol Invasions. Takahashi Shōun, a vassal of the Ōtomo clan, built a Hōmanzan castle and worshipped Kamado shrine as a gaurdian god.

Kamado-san fell into a decline because of successive conflicts. However, Toyotomi Hideyoshi built a three-storied padoda after he conquered Kyūshū, and Kobayakawa Takakage rebuilt the temple buildings after he became feudal lord of the Chikuzen province. In the Edo period, Kamado-san continued to be patronized by the Kuroda clan, the head of the Fukuoka domain. In 1641, most buildings were destroyed by fire, but the Kuroda Tadayuki, the second head of the Fukuoka domain, rebuilt the shrine and temple buildings in1650.

A syncretised worship of Shinto with Buddhism had took place in Kamado-san for a long time. However, in the Meiji era, all Buddhist elements were swept away from the mountain in the and separation of Buddhism and Shinto. In 1872, Kamado shrine was listed as a Sonsha, a village shrine, in the modern system of ranked Shinto shrines, and in 1895, it was promoted to the rank of Kanpei-shōsha, Government shrine, 3rd rank. Although all Buddhism related objects were destroyed during the anti-Buddhist movement, some relics still remain in the mountain those reflect what they looked like in the past.

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Enshrined deities

Main enshrined deity

The main enshrined deity of Kamado shrine is Tamayorihime-no-mikoto.

Tamayorihime-no-mikoto is the daughter of the sea god, Wadatsumi, and the younger sister of Toyotamahime-no-mikoto. Toyotamahime-no-mikoto visited Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto to give birth to the child she conceived when Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto was at the sea god's palace. However, since Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto broke his promise, not to look at her childbirth, Toyotamahime-no-mikoto left the child and returned to sea. The child was named Hikonagisatake-ugayafukiaezu-no-mikoto and Tamayorihime-no-mikoto raised him in the place of her sister.

Later, Tamayorihime-no-mikoto gave birth to four children between Hikonagisatake-ugayafukiaezu-no-mikoto, and one of them is Kamuyamato-iwarebiko-no-mikoto, who would become the first Emperor, Emperor Jimmu.

In 673, when a Buddhist monk Shinren was performing religious austerities in Mount Hōman, it is said that Tamayorihime-no-mikoto had appeared and the Uemiya, that will become Kamado shrine, was built under the order of the Imperial Court.

Associated deities

Kamado shrine enshrines Empress Jingū and Emperor Ōjin as associated deities.

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Divine favor

Since the name of Tamayorihime-no-mikoto, Tamayori ("玉依"), means "Drawing spirits together", she has been believed to be a god of bringing good relations, not just matchmaking but all kinds of relations, such as relations with friends, family, business or nature.

Since it has been worshipped as a protection from the 'Kimon', north-east which is considered to be the unlucky direction, for the Dazaifu government office, and also, those who were going to sail across the sea as a part of the missions to Sui China and Tang China visited to pray for the success of their mission and a safe journey, Kamado shrine has also been worshipped as a shrine of warding off misfortune.