Nishinomiya Shrine

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Haiden

Nishinomiya Jinja (西宮神社, nishinomiyajinja^?) is a shinto shrine in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan. The shrine is the head shrine of Ebisu sect of Shinto, under which it is said that there are about 3500 shrines. Locals call the shrine, by a nickname of Ebisu, ‘Ebessan’ of Nishinomiya.

The shrine is famous for the feast called ‘Tōka-Ebisu’, which is held on January 10th every year.

1 Objects of worship
2 History
3 Access
4 External links

[edit] Objects of worship

Nishinomiya shrine has three small inner shrines and each shrine enshrines one or two kami. The first shrine enshrines Nishinomiya-Ōkami, or Ebisu-no-mikoto, namely Ebisu. The kami of second shrine are Amaterasu-Ōmikami and Ōkuninushino-Mikoto. The third shrine is for Susanoono-Mikoto.

[edit] History

It is not clear when this shrine was established. However, it is recorded that ‘Ebisu-sha’ was already at this place and attracting many people in Heian Period.

Nishinomiya Shrine has some complicated history with Hirota Shrine, which is located north in the same city. For many centuries, Nishinomiya Shrine was called ‘Nangu-sha’, literally ‘South Shrine’ of Hirota Shrine. It means that Nishinomiya Shrine was one of branch shrines of Hirota Shrine. Against Koshikiiwa Shrine, Nishinomiya Shrine has the same kind of relationship. Koshikiiwa Shrine is sometimes called ‘Kita-no-Ebisu’ which means ‘Ebisu shrine of north’. According to Engishiki, it is interpreted that Koshikiiwa Shrine was under the control of Nishinomiya Shrine as its branch.