Yatsugi-jinja Shrine (夜都岐神社)
Yatsugi-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Tenri City, Nara Prefecture. The shrine was designated as a village shrine under the old shrine ranking system.
Yatsugi-jinja Shrine is written using the characters "夜都岐神社" or "夜都伎神社," which can also be read 'Yatsuki-jinja Shrine' or 'Yatogi-jinja Shrine.'
It is located at the northern end of Otogi village. The shrine is thought to be the descendant of the shikinaisha (shrine listed in the Engishiki Jimmyocho (a register of shrines in Japan) 'Yatsugi-jinja Shrine in Yamabe County, Yamato Province' (Juni-jinja Shrine in Takenouchi-cho, Tenri City and Yatsurugi-jinja Shrine in Tainosho-cho, Tenri City are theorized as being predecessors). A theory suggests that the name of this shrine was initially written "於都岐(乙木)神社," which were mistranscribed as "夜都岐神社." There is a possibility that the Yatsurugi -jinja Shrine located nationwide have a relationship to this shrine.
This shrine enshrines Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto, Hime-no-okami, Futsunushi-no-mikoto and Amenokoyane-no-mikoto.
History
Originally, there were two shrines in Otogi village; Yatsugi-jinja Shrine and Kasuga-jinja Shrine. One of these, Yatsugi-jinja Shrine, was transferred to Sagizuka-ike Pond in Takenouchi-cho (the present Juni-jinja Shrine's land) located about 400m southeast of the original place through an exchange of the shrines' lands.
As a result, only Kasuga-jinja Shrine remained in Otogi village is said to have been renamed 'Yatsugi-jinja Shrine.'
Since Otogi village used to be Otsugi manor, the estate of Kofuku-ji Temple Daijo-in and Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Otogi village presumably enshrined the divided Kasuga-no-kami. Considering the geographical conditions surrounding the shrine with Higashinorikura Tumulus about 200m to the north and Nishinorikura Tumulus about 300m northwest, as well as the fact that the shrine's land used to be called Mt. Taiko, the shrine is believed to have been built after flattening a tumulus.
Having a close relationship with Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Yatsugi-jinja Shrine had presented a shinsen (food and alcohol offering to the deities) called 'Hasu-no-goku' (literally, offering of lotus) until the end of Edo period. Kasuga Taisha Shrine has traditionally its old buildings and torii (shrine gates) to Yatsugi-jinja Shrine every 60 years. Kasuga Taisha Shrine gave its fourth sanctuary to Yatsugi-jinja Shrine in 1406 (source: "Kasuga Taisha Bunsho" [Documents of Kasuga Taisha Shrine]). Moreover, Jinson, a priest of Daijo-in Temple visited to the shrine on April 6, 1461 (source: "Daijoin Jisha Zojiki" [Miscellaneous Records of Daijo-in Temple]).
Juraishi-do Temple, a jingu-ji (temple associated with a shrine) once stood to the west, but this was moved to the Yakushi-do Hall in Otogi Village. The haiden (worship hall) is topped by a thatched roof, which is unusual in this area.