Wakamiya Hachiman-gu Shrine (Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City) (若宮八幡宮 (京都市東山区))
Wakamiya Hachiman-gu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City. It is also referred to by the name "Toki-jinja" (lit. Pottery Shrine). It was classified as a gosha (village shrine) under the old shrine ranking system.
The main enshrined deities are the Emperor Ojin, the Emperor Chuai and the Empress Jingu (Hachiman-shin) which are accompanied by the Emperor Chukyo who is enshrined in the left-aidono and Shiinetsuhiko no okami (the god for the pottery) in the right-aidono.
History
Wakamiya Hachiman-gu Shrine was founded 1053 in Rokujo Samegai by Yoriyoshi MINAMOTO under the imperial order of the Emperor Goreizei due to the first year of the Age of Dharma Decline according to Buddha's teachings. At this time, it was also known as Samegai Hachiman-gu Shrine and Rokujo Hachiman-gu Shrine. The shrine later became deeply revered by the Minamoto clan following the success of Yoriyoshi MINAMOTO and his son Yoshiie MINAMOTO during the Zenkunen War, and it became customary for Kamakura Imperial Princes and successive shogun families to visit.
Special grand festivals were held during visits made to the shrine by Yoritomo MINAMOTO in 1190 and 1195 who granted the shrine estates in numerous provinces and made offerings of sacred treasures. MINAMOTO no Yoshitsune imitated Yoriyoshi and Yoshiie in building a residence near to the shrine.
Successive generations of the Ashikaga Shogun family also visited the shrine, with Takauji ASHIKAGA offering seven kinds of sacred treasures and a letter officially recognizing the shrine's fiefdom, and Yoshimasa ASHIKAGA dedicating to the shrine 51 areas of land. The shrine buildings were damaged by fire during the Onin War but were rebuilt using donations solicited from the warrior households of numerous provinces at the request of Yoshiteru ASHIKAGA and Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA.
In addition, sacred land, sacred horses and tachi swords were donated by, among others, Nobunaga ODA, Yoshitaka OUCHI, the three houses of the Mori clan, the Hosokawa clan, the Miyoshi clan and the Asakura clan,
As a result of the reconstruction of Kyoto by Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, Wakamiya Hachiman-gu Shrine was relocated to the place where the sacred palanquin was lodged during festivals in Higashiyama in 1583, and moved again to the north of Hoko-ji Temple in 1588. After Hideyoshi's death in 1605, the shrine was relocated to its current site. In 1615, Ieyasu TOKUGAWA granted the shrine an estate with a value of over 73-koku, 8-masu (approximately 11,000 kg of rice).
A new shrine building was constructed in 1654 at the will of Retired Emperor Gomizunoo, son of the Emperor Gokomyo. This is the current main sanctuary.
In 1877, the Department of the Imperial Household transferred the divine spirit of the Emperor Chukyo from Tsukamoto-sha Shrine in Honmachi juroku chome and enshrined at Wakamiya Hachiman-gu Shrine. The pottery god Shiinetsuhiko no okami was enshrined in 1891.
Annual rites and festivals
January 1: Gantan-sai (New Year's Day Festival)
January 3: Prayer festival for the prosperity of family fortunes and business
January 7: Nanakusa-gayu Shinji (rice porridge with seven herbs eaten on the 7th day of the New Year)
January 15: Seijin-sai (Adult Festival); Shinnen-sai (New Year Festival)
February 3 (or 4) : Setsubun-sai (festival for the last day of winter) (held at the main temple); Hatsuuma-sai (First Horse Day festival) (held at the Inari-sha subsidiary shrine)
February 15: Hatsuu-matsuri (festival for the first Day of the Rabbit)
March 17-21: Spring Thanksgiving Festival
April 29: Tenchosetsu-sai (festival for the birthday of Emperor Showa)
May 4: Shobu-matsuri (Iris Festival)
June 30: Oharai-shiki (great purification rite)
August 7-10: Wakamiya Hachiman-gu Shrine Taisai (Great Festival); Toki-jinja Taisai (pottery festival)
August 7: Festival for Emperor Chukyo and Emperor Komei
August 8: Festival for Emperor Chuai, Empress Jingu and Emperor Ojin (Wakamiya Hachiman-gu Shrine reisai)
August 9: Toki-jinja Shrine Festival
Autumnal Equinox Day in September: Autumn Festival
November 1: Benzaiten Okami Hitaki-sai (fire festival)
November 8: Inari-sha subsidiary shrine (main shrine) Hitaki-sai (the burning of rice straw to return Inari from the rice fields to the mountain for the winter); Akiba-jinja subsidiary shrine Hitaki-sai (fire festival)
November 15: Shrine visit by children aged 7, 5 and 3 years
November 23: Niiname-sai (Harvest Festival); Hitaki-sai
December 31: Oharai-shiki; Joya-sai (New Year's Eve festival)
1st and 15th every month: Monthly festivals
Subsidiary shrines within the main precinct
Awa Tenman-gu Shrine (enshrined deity: SUGAWARA no Michizane)
Akiba-jinja Shrine (enshrined deity: Hinoyagiihayao no mikoto)
Inari-jinja Shrine (enshrined deity: Ukanomitama no mikoto)
Chikubujima-jinja Shrine (enshrined deity: Ichikishimahime no mikoto)
Sanrei-jinja Shrine (enshrined deity: Korei okami)
Ebisu-sha Shrine (enshrined deity: Ebisu no kami)
Other
As the shrine has been relocated three times, it does not have an area of parishioners.