Niukawakami Shrine

34°23′25″N 135°59′11″E / 34.39028°N 135.98639°E / 34.39028; 135.98639ArchitectureStyleNagare-zukuriDate established675Websitewww.niukawakami-jinja.jp

Glossary of Shinto

Niukawakami Shrine (丹生川上神社, Niukawakami Jinja), also known as Nibukawakami Jinja, is a Shinto shrine located at Higashiyoshino in Nara, Japan.

History

The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period.^[1] In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines including the Niukawakami Shrine.^[2]

From 1871 through 1946, the Nibukawakami Jinja was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha (官幣大社), meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.^[3]

Composition

The shrine has two sub-shrines

Niukawakami Upper Shrine [ja]
Niukawakami Lower Shrine [ja]

Notes

^ Breen, John et al. (2000). Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami, pp. 74-75.
^ Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962). Studies in Shinto and Shrines, pp. 116-117.
^ Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, pp. 124.

References

Breen, John and Mark Teeuwen. (2000). Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2363-4
Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962). Studies in Shinto and Shrines. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 399449
____________. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 194887

Shinto shrines

Shinto architecture

Buildings	chōzu or temizu Haiden Heiden hokora honden / shinden / shōden kagura-den setsumatsusha
Architectonic elements	Chinjusha chigi hidden roof kaerumata: see nakazonae kairō karahafu karamon katōmado katsuogi kitsune (fox) komainu mon nakazonae shinboku shōrō sōrin tamagaki tokyō torii tōrō
Styles	hirairi-zukuri tsumairi-zukuri hachiman-zukuri hiyoshi-zukuri irimoya-zukuri ishi-no-ma-zukuri kasuga-zukuri kibitsu-zukuri misedana-zukuri nagare-zukuri ōtori-zukuri owari-zukuri ryōnagare-zukuri shinmei-zukuri sumiyoshi-zukuri taisha-zukuri
Decorations	Sandō Saisen Tomoe Shimenawa

Others

Implements	An Chōzubachi Chōzuya Hakama Himorogi Jōe Kagura suzu O-miki Ō-nusa Gohei Sanbo Shide Shinsen Suzu Tamagushi Masakaki Washi
Head shrines¹	Fushimi Inari Taisha Inari Ōkami Inari shrine Usa Hachiman-gū Hachiman Hachiman Shrine Ise Grand Shrine Amaterasu Jingūkyō Jingu Taima Shinmei shrines Dazaifu Tenman-gū Tenjin Tenmangū Munakata Taisha daughters of Amaterasu Suwa Taisha Takeminakata Yasakatome Kotoshironushi Hiyoshi Taisha Ōkuninushi Oyamakui no Kami Sannō torii Sannō Ichijitsu Shintō Kumano Nachi Taisha Kumano Kodō Kumano Sanzan Tsushima Shrine Gion cult Yasaka Shrine Gion cult
Tutelary deities	Ujigami Chinjugami Garanshin Dōsojin Jinushigami Yama-no-Kami Oyagami Sorei Ubusunagami Kunitama
Yorishiro and Shintai	Mirrors Shinboku (trees) Chinju no Mori (forests) Iwakura (rocks) Meoto Iwa Kannabi (locations) Katashiro (dolls) Kadomatsu Bunrei and Kanjō (propagation) Ofuda Jingu Taima Omamori Senjafuda Arahitogami Mikoshi Matsuri float Shinko-shiki
Staff	Kannushi Miko
Miscellaneous	A-un Kanjo Nawa Junrei Misaki Miyamairi Shinshi
Classification	Twenty-Two Shrines Gokoku Shrines Beppyo Shrines Shinkai (divine rank) Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines Engishiki Jinmyocho Chinjusha Setsumatsusha Hokora Buddhist elements jingū-ji miyadera Whale mounds Kamidana Mitamaya Sōja shrine
History	Shrine Parishioner Registration Secular Shrine Theory Shrine Consolidation Policy Shrine Shinto
Misc practices for visitors	Ō-mikuji Shuin Ema
Institutions	Jinja Honchō
Rites	Futomani Harae Kagura Misogi Hakushu Two bows, two claps, one bow Jichinsai
¹ (in order of the size of the shrine network they head)