is a Shinto Shrine in Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962). Studies in Shinto and Shrines, p. 477; Kotodamaya.com, "Aso Jinja"; retrieved 2012-10-29. Aso is one of the oldest shrines in Japan. This shrine holds several Important Cultural Properties, including Ichi-no-shinden (一の神殿), Ni-no-shinden (二の神殿), and Rōmon (楼門). The Aso family in charge of the shrine is said to have the second oldest recorded lineage in Japan after the Imperial family. The Aso Shrine was heavily damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. The shrine's rōmon (tower gate) completely collapsed. The haiden (worshiping hall) also collapsed.
History
Aso Shrine at Mount Aso in Kyushu is traditionally held to have been a center of worship before the accession of Emperor Jinmu. The shikinaisha shrine complex at Ichinomiya in what is today Kumamoto Prefecture was said to have been established in 281 BC.
The earliest records of the shrine are found in Chinese historical chronicles like the Zuisho-Wakoku-Den from the 7th century that states that the people of Aso held festivals every time Mt. Aso erupted to calm its wrath. Historical information of the shrine can also be found in the Nihon-Shoki, Nihon-Kiryaku, Shoku-Nihon-Kouki, Montoku-Jitsuroku, Sandai-Jitsuroku, and the Chikushi-no-Kuni-Fudoki-Itsubun.
Records also link the founding of the shrine to the reign of Emperor Kōrei (孝霊天皇, Kōrei-tennō). By the middle of the 11th century, the shrine was involved in national issues as they played out across Kyushu.Iwao, Seiichi et al. (2002). Dictionnaire historique du Japon, p. 86. During the ascendancy of the Kamakura shogunate, the Hōjō clan exercised a significant influence over the affairs of Aso Shrine.Maas, Jeffrey P. (1976). The Kamakura Bakufu: A Study in Documents, p. 317.
The shrine is dedicated to the veneration of Takeiwatatsu-no-Mikoto (健磐龍命), who was a grandson of Japan's first emperor and the brother of Emperor Suizei, the second monarch on the traditional list of emperors.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 29. In the same period that Emperor Jimmu was establishing his palace at Kashihara at the foot of Mount Unebi in Yamato province,Ponsonby-Fane, Imperial House, p. 28; Unebiyama-no Ushitora-no-sumi-no misasagi (Unebi Goryō, tomb of Emperor Jimmu). Takeiwatasu was sent to Aso where he helped establish a number of agricultural communities; and later, he is said to have built a palace at Miyagi.Ponsonby-Fane, Shrines, pp. 480-484.
The original location of the shrine is uncertain because it was destroyed and rebuilt many times in or near the crater of Aso-san. The shrine is said to be thousands of years old, however the present buildings date only from the Tenpō era (1830–1843).Ponsonby-Fane, Shrines, p. 490. Construction of the shrine took 20 years from Tenpō 06 (1835) through Koka (1844–1848), Kaei (1848–1854) and Ansei (1854–1860) periods.
Aso was the chief Shinto shrine (Ichinomiya) of the old Higo Province. It serves today as one of the Ichinomiya of Kumamoto Prefecture."Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 2 ; retrieved 2012-10-29.
From 1871 through 1946, the Aso Shrine was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha (官幣大社), meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, pp. 126.
Shinto belief Aso-no-Ōkami, the kami or spirit who is believed to dwell at Aso Shrine has been worshipped from early times as the guardian deity of safety in navigation, and today, Aso-no-Ōkami is seen as protecting worshippers from traffic accidents and other untoward events.
Yabusame is an annual festival which brings together horse-mounted archers, special arrows and targets, and Shinto ritual at Aso Shrine.Yabusame at Aso Shrine
The Aso no Himatsuri festival has its origin in the month of March festivals such as Aso no Noyaki (the first burning in Aso) and Aso jinja no Hifuri shinji (the fire ritual of Aso Shrine). JAL Guide to Japan: Fukuoaka; JNTO: Fire Festivals. Although rarely performed today, ceremonies which honor ancestors who settled near the Aso caldera do continue to be associated with the Aso jinja.
Deities There are 13 kami enshrined at Aso shrine.
The shrine's main kami is Ichinomiya Takeiwatatsu-no-mikoto (一の宮健磐龍命) the creator of Aso and the God credited with teaching the villagers about agriculture. He is said to be the descendant of Emperor Jinmu. Since Takeiwatatsu-no-mikoto was descended from Emperor Jinmu who is said to have been human, legends surrounding his divinity is unclear. Some state that through his lineage from the Goddess Amaterasu he was given divine powers for creating Aso. Another legend states that the deity of the volcano, entered the body of Takeiwatatsu-no-mikoto turning him from a human into a divine being. These are common folklore among the people with the only consensus being that over time, the deity of the land and the deity of the volcano was combined into one symbol by the name of Takeiwatatsu-no-mikoto.
The second important deity is called Ninomiya Aso-tsu-hime-no-mikoto the wife of Takeiwatatsu-no-mikoto (二の宮阿蘇都媛命).
The third important deity mentioned is Juuichinomiya Kuni-no-miyatsuko-hayamikatama-no-mikoto (十一の宮園造速瓶玉命).
The other deities are the kami of fire 火の神, the kami of water 水の神 flowing near the rōmon gate of the shrine and the other kami of agriculture 農の神.
Festivals
U-no-matsuri The Aso shrine's U-no-matsuri (卯の祭) is a 13-day event that occurs in March to welcome spring and pray for the beginning of the rice planting season. The U-no-matsuri marks the anniversary of Aso shrine's chief deity Takeiwatatsu-no-Mikoto's arrival in Aso. This event occurred in the second month of the lunar calendar which is March in the current calendar. The shrine's Guuji San perform sacred Shinto music and dances every day of the festival while praying for a rich harvest.
Occurring simultaneously to the U-no-matsuri, is a prominent festival called the Tazukuri Matsuri (田作り祭り) which is celebrated over 7 days, and the Daihimonjiyaki (大火文字焼き) which is the lighting of the Chinese characters for "fire" and "flame" on the mountains which is also done around the same time and sometimes the same day as the Tazukuri Matsuri.
Dai-Himonjiyaki
The Daihimonjiyaki (大火文字焼き) is part of the Noyaki (のやき, burning of the hills) that occurs in Aso, at the beginning of March every year. The hills are burnt to stop the growth of trees allowing the grass to take over, thereby maintaining Aso's famous grasslands. The kanji (Chinese character) for fire Hi (火)、and the character for flame Hono (炎) is lit onto Ojo-dake and Motozuka (known locally as Kitazuka) which are two hills, on the second Saturday of March every year. The symbol can be seen from the top of the caldera to the surrounding villages. Fireworks and market stalls are also planned as part of the overall festival.
As of the year 2016, after the Kumamoto earthquake, this event has been discontinued by the city.
Tazukuri Matsuri The Tazukuri Matsuri (田作り祭り) is a week-long festival held at Aso shrine starting from the Mi no hi, (巳の日, the day of the snake) and continuing on to the I no hi (亥の, day of the boar). These days are according to the old Japanese calendar and respond to different days on the Gregorian calendar every year. The most notable days within this week is the Hifuri Shinji. The Tazukuri Matsuri is held in accordance with the belief that if the deities of the shrine got married before the rice planting season, the harvest would be rich. Each day of the matsuri corresponds to a wedding event celebrating the marriage of the deities. On day 1 (day of the snake) the male deity who will be the bridegroom and resides in Aso shrine is transferred to a mikoshi (portable shrine) by three Shinto priests and taken to the house of one of the priests of the shrine. On day 4 (day of the monkey) two of the shrine priests go to Yoshimatsu Shrine in Akamizu, Aso, to collect the "shintai" of the bride deity. The "shintai" is an object of worship believed to contain the spirit of a deity. They transfer the bride deity to a mikoshi where they return to Aso shrine. The villagers line up to light her path giving rise to the Hifuri Shinji festival. The last three days of the festival is considered the honeymoon of the deities at the shrine priests house. On the last day of the festival (day 7, day of the boar) seven shrine priests invite the deities to their house where they perform sacred music, rituals and dances. A sacred play is also performed to symbolize the growth of rice.
Hifuri Shinji
This is a fire-swinging ritual where bales of hay are lit on fire and swung around by the villagers to welcome the Bride Deity to Aso shrine on the evening of her nuptials. This day falls on the fourth day of the Tazukuri Matsuri week, the Saru no hi (猿の日, day of the monkey). While the ceremony is conducted by the shrine's Guji San (priests) in the shrine itself, visitors and well-wishers celebrate by listening to taiko and participating in the fire swinging event. The day begins with two shinto priests from Aso shrine who go on horseback to collect the female deity from Yoshimatsu Shrine in Akamizu. The shrine priests collect the shintai of the bride deity from a sacred kashi (oak) tree on the shrine grounds. These branches are said to contain the spirit of the bride deity, who came from the heavens for her marriage. The "shintai" of the bride deity is placed into a mikoshi (portable shrine) to be transported. The procession for the bride starts in Akamizu but stops in eight shrines along the way. At each shrine the bride deity, receives gifts for her wedding. The procession can be viewed by the public. At around 6pm, the procession arrives at Aso shrine for the wedding ceremony to begin. In March, the sun usually sets before 6pm and so the villagers gather to light the way for the bride deity. The villagers set bales of hay (hifuri) on fire and swing them around to light up the area. The priests carry the bride deity into the shrine where the marriage ceremony takes place. After the ceremony, the couple deities are placed into the same mikoshi and transported to the house of a priest for their honeymoon. Outside, the villagers continue to light bales of hay on fire and swing them around to the accompaniment of taiko until around 8:30pm.
Onda Matsuri
The Onda Matsuri is a Shinto festival held by Aso shrine to pray for a bountiful harvest of rice in the village of Aso. The matsuri involves the people of the village who join in the different factions needed to make up the procession.