Kasuga-Taisha
The Kasuga Taisha (Japanese春日 大 社) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara in Nara prefecture in Japan at the foot of the holy mountain Kasugayama and Mikasayama, in close proximity to Kōfuku -ji. The main shrine was originally located on Mount Mikasa, but was then transferred to two steps on his foot. The remaining HONGU -jinja is now considered a side shrine ( sessha ) of the younger main shrine.
The Kasuga Taisha is one of the Chokusaisha and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nara. He is held in the architectural style kasuga - zukuri (春日 造).
History and organization
According to legend, it was built in the year 768, but it is estimated that it was built for the beginning of the Nara period. He was regarded as the shrine of the Fujiwara family.
As part of the Shinto - Buddhist syncretism ( Shinbutsu - shugo ) of the later Heian period the nearby Buddhist temple Kōfuku -ji has been integrated into the shrine.
The priesthood was hereditary until the Meiji Restoration.
All buildings have been destroyed and rebuilt in the course of history, the four dogs (main hall ) even to 1863 every 30 years, although in accordance with the principle of Sengu or shikinen - zôtai. The main four - Kami heard Ame -no- koyane, allegedly as the other Kami here one of the ancestors of the Fujiwara and thus their Ujigami.
The path to the shrine through the Nara Park, a wildlife park ( where tame deer roam freely ). Over a thousand stone lanterns line the path.
In the Botanical Garden Man'yo stand many old trees and plants. Some are mentioned in the oldest poem compilation of Japan, the Man'yōshū.
Apart from shrines
On the grounds of Kasuga Taisha there are a large number of side shrines for an even greater number of Kami. The most famous is probably (1135 re-established, the last new building dates from 1863 and is with the dogs the same) the Wakamiya -jinja, the Kami traveling on some days in various, temporary built shrines in other places ( Shinko - shiki ). He is not to be confused with the eponymous shrine in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture.
The Wakamiya -jinja was, inter alia, even a sub- shrine: the Tsugoo -jinja ( a massha ) for the worship of Nakatomi -no- sukefusa ( an ancestor of the priestly family ).
The cleaning Kami ( Harai -no- kami ) are worshiped in two mountain - side shrines (both massha ) anonymously and without special knowledge of the number: in the Ko - zen -jinja (together with the Kasuga -no- kami Wakamiya -no- kami and Mizuya -no- kami ) and Kami -no- mizu -ya -jinja ( with the same and Saruda - hiko, the one sessha turn himself in Enomoto -jinja () is worshiped as earth Kami ). Another cleaning Kami, Se -ori -tsu -hime -no- kami, has its own shrine addition, the harae -do- jinja ( a massha ).
In Hiraiten -jinja the very abstract and obscure Ame -no- Minaka - nushi the only Kami is. The also very esoteric Taka -mi- musubi is the only Kami in Iguri -jinja. In Tenjin -sha ( a massha ) Ame -no- toko - tachi is worshiped. The often identified with Ebisu Kami Hiru -ko is worshiped in Sarake -jinja ( a massha ). The ore - kami kana -yama - biko is in Wangu -jinja ( a massha ), the water - Kami Ame -no- mi - kumari -no- kami in Naru- Ikazuchi -jinja ( a massha ) worshiped. The three Sumiyoshi kami are enshrined with 14 other Kami in Hatsu - miya -jinja. The Fire Kami Ho - musubi -no- kami is enshrined massha into two: the Atago -jinja and the Ishiko -jinja. Izanagi is the Kami of the Tago -jinja ( a massha ). The born of the decaying body of Izanami eight thunder - Kami (an massha ) worshiped together in Hachirai -jinja. The tree - Kami -no- mikoto Itakeru has the Kii -jinja ( a sessha ) for themselves. In Nogami -jinja ( a massha ) the herbal Kami Kaya -nu -hime is worshiped. The Road Kami Tsuki - tatsu - funado -no- kami is worshiped in Funado -jinja ( a massha ). The kitchen Kami Oki- tsu - hiko -no- kami and Oki- tsu -hime -no- kami are worshiped together in Kamado -sha.
An inconspicuous palace servants ( Uneme ), who himself took his own life, found in Uneme -jinja ( a massha ) worship. The Kami of Kono -jinja ( a massha ) are born from the blood of Kaga - tsuchi Mika - haya -hi and hi- haya -hi. In another side shrine ( massha ) on the grounds of Kasuga Taisha named Seimei -jinja, Kami are worshiped, whose name and function knows no one.