. Shinto Shrines (jinja 神社) - Introduction .
. kami 神 Shinto deities .
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shinrei 神霊, mitama / 心霊 divine spirit, Geist
Sometimes a dead person can come back to haunt or help others as a bad or good ghost or a divine spirit.
. Shrine Uji Jinja 宇治神社 .
The following persons and their Spirits are venerated here :
大職冠鎌足神霊 （タイショクカンカマタリシンレイ）Taishokukan Kamatari Shinrei / 藤原鎌足 Fujiwara no Kamatari
和気清麿神霊 （ワケノキヨマロシンレイ）Wake no Kiyomaro Shinrei
菅原道真神霊 （スガワラノミチザネシンレイ）Sugawara no Michizane Shinrei
楠正成神霊 （クスノキマサシゲシンレイ）Kusunoki Masashige Shinrei
羽倉東麿神霊 （ハクラアズママロシンレイ）Hakura Azuma Maro Shinrei
岡部真淵神霊 （オカベマブチシンレイ）Okabe Mabuchi Shinrei / 賀茂 真淵 Kamo no Mabuchi
本居宣長神霊 （モトオリノリナガシンレイ）Motoori Norinaga Shinrei
平田篤胤神霊（ヒラタアツタネシンレイ）Hirata Atsutane Shinrei
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aramitama 荒魂 / 荒御魂 - nigimitama 和魂
- quote -
This is one of the ways of referring to a spirit (mitama)
by its function or inner workings, placing it in opposition to nigimitama.
Aramitama is recognized and understood as the ferocious, rough, or violent manifestation of a spirit (mitama).
Although the nigimitama is the normal condition of the spirit,
the aramitama appears during times of war or natural disasters.
This aramitama changes back to the nature of nigimitama by receiving ritual attention.
However, using aramitama to refer to the state wherein the spirits of kami (shinrei) or their power become manifest is thought to have been closer to the original usage.
Among shrines, many worship the two aspects of the mitama separately.
For example, Sumiyoshi Shrine in Shimonoseki worships the aramitama of the Sumiyoshi kami,
while Sumiyoshi Taisha in Osaka worships its nigimitama.
- source : kokugakuin - Yonei Teruyoshi -
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. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .
mitama, goryoo 御霊 a spirit
Utsushimi 現御身（うつしみ） is the shinrei 神霊 divine spirit of a kami 神 Shinto Deity in this world.
とは神の現世で御霊であり、御霊とは神霊のことを指す。
御霊実とはご神体のことである。
tama 霊 spirit
is a general term for spirit or soul in ancient times. In addition to human spirit, it also refers to spirit or spiritual force in nature.
A human soul is considered a spiritual entity that comes from outside and dwells in the body, endowing the individual with energy and personality. The word tamashii (spirit, soul) presumably had an original meaning of the "function of tama."
Mitama (御魂、御霊) is an honorific term for tama. When it is written with the characters 神霊 (mitama), it refers to the spirit of a kami.
Later on, the spelling of 御霊 came to be used exclusively for goryō, a spirit that brings hazards to human society.
- reference : d-museum.kokugakuin.ac .. -
....................................................................... Aichi 愛知県 .....
知多郡 Chita district 南知多町 Minamichita town
shinbatsu 神罰 heavenly punishment
Another name for 神霊 Shinrei is Okutari sama オワタリサマ O-Kutari sama or Ojinjiki sama オジンジキサマ O-Jinjiki
At 八王子社 the Shrine Hachiojisha at Shinojima 篠島 Shino Island
the festival is held once a year on the 3rd and 4th day of January.
From 八王寺社 the Shrine Hachiojisha
- quote -
Shinojima Lord's Procession Festival
located right in the middle of the Mikawa Bay entrance between the Chita and Atsumi peninsulas.
The ritual of the Daimyo Gyoretsu Procession is carried out in order to protect
Ojinjiki-sama, the spirit of Hachioji Shrine, while it is moved to Shinmei Shrine
and brought back on the following day.
It is believed that the power of Ojinjiki-sama will make onlookers go blind,
so all the lights in the road between the two shrines are turned off during the ceremony.
On the next day, after a shamanic dance at the Shinojima Beach,
the crowd of almost-naked men will get in a big brawl in order to decide
who gets the Otanagi-sama of the "Shinboku" Divine Tree.
- reference source : aichi-now.jp ... -
- reference source : shinojima-matsuri ... -
Hachioji Jinsha 八王子神社 Shrine for the 8 Oji Princes
Yahashira Jinja 八柱神社 （やはしらじんじゃ）
- reference source : wikipedia -
....................................................................... Akita 秋田県 .....
秋田市 Akita city
reimu 霊夢 vision in a dream，shinrei 神霊
a believer once had a strange dream.
If a man goes to the top of the mountain to worship the deity he will get great profits.
Since the wife of the believer had seen the same dream,
both built a small Shrine and thus had many wishes granted.
After a wish is granted they must make an offering of mochi 餅 rice cakes.
Otherwise they will be cursed.
....................................................................... Chiba 千葉県 .....
印旛郡 Imba district / Inba / 臼井町 Usui town
. tsue 杖と伝説 Legends about a walking staff .
When 八幡宮 the Shrine Hachimangu was founded in Usui,
the local lord 臼井太郎興胤 Usui Taro Okitane (? - 1313, age 25) placed his walking stick in the ground.
If the staff would stand and grow, this would be the show of shinrei 神霊 a divine spirit.
The staff began to grow and became 樟の神木 the divine Kusunoki camphor tree.
....................................................................... Fukui 福井県 .....
川俣町 Kawamata town
reikoku 霊告 revelation
The Shrine for the Deity 甲太明神 Kotai Myojin was built on a relevation of the Deity.
A muku no ki 椋の木 Muku tree Aphananthe aspera was growing in one night.
The place was then called muku seichi 椋生地 place where the Muku grows.
皇太明神神社 Shrine Kotai Myojin Jinja - Shiga
....................................................................... Fukushima 福島県 .....
いわき市 Iwaki city
At 諏訪神社 the Shrine Suwa Jinja in Iwaki city and 泉崎の八幡神社 the Shrine Hachiman Jinja in Izumisaki
there are ema 絵馬 amulets in rememberance of a pilgrimage to 出羽三山 the Three Mountains of Dewa.
They depict pilgrims at a ritual of the waterfall.
In front of the waterfall is a mirror, which represents 神霊 Shinrei, the divine spirit.
....................................................................... Hokkaido 北海道 .....
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. 源の義経 Minamoto no Yoshitsune .
At the homes of the Ainu there are two open windows.
One is called 「かもいとの」Kamoitono and
the other one 「ふうくはん」Fuukuhan.
They are venerated with food offerings.
Kamoi represents 神霊 Shinrei, the divine spirit and
Fuukuhan represents the spirit of Yoshitsune
....................................................................... Hyogo 兵庫県 .....
Konpira Shin reikoku 金比羅神霊験 the miracle of the Konpira Deity
金右衛門 Kinemon was a lumber dealer. He put all his lumber on a ship.
The sailors wanted to steal his money and tried to kill him.
They tied him up and threw him into the sea.
That night in the yard of Kinemon's home, his wife heard a strange sound
and she saw Kinemon tied up and falling down.
Kinemon was a strong believer in 金比羅 the Konpira Deity and had prayed
to Konpira San to save him.
When he went to Konpira and told the story, he got his money back.
He gave all the money to the Shrine to built Kondo 金堂 a Golden Hall there.
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養老町 Yoro town
taki no shinrei 滝の神霊 Shinrei, the divine spirit of a waterfall
People who take ablutions in 鼓ヶ滝 the waterfall Tsuzumigataki or
in 養老の滝 the waterfall Yoro no Taki in Gifu have to keep special taboos.
If they use a gourd to scoop water or eat the fish from the river or cook soy beans with the water,
they will make the deity of the waterfall angry and might die on the spot.
- quote -
Yoro falls has been chosen as one of the Top 100 Waterfalls and one of the 100 Best Spring Water Sites in Japan.
It is also famous for a legend that tells the story of a pious son who ladles some water from the waterfall
to give to his ailing father, only to find that it tastes like sake!
- source : visitgifu.com/see-do .. -
....................................................................... Kumamoto 熊本県 .....
reiken 霊験 a miracle，shinrei 神霊 divine spirit
If the price for rice becomes very high or if there will be a natural disaster
a special star appears above 阿蘇山 Mount Asosan.
On the 13th of May suddenly all the mice left the houses,
on the 17th rain begun to fall and destroyed the fields,
on the 18th birds flew away from 藤崎祇園 Fujisaki Gion.
On that day in the evening there was a huge eruption of the volcano Asosan.
- - - - - 肥後 Higo
shaboku 社木 divine Shinto Shrine tree
had fallen down during a Taifun.
But then there was a large trembling of the ground and all the trees were standing up again.
People think this was not unusual, but due to the shinrei 神霊 divine spirit of the place.
. shinboku 神木, shinju 神樹 sacred tree, divine tree .
one more legend about shaboku
福岡県 Fukuoka 太宰府市 Dazaifu city
shaboku to tatari 社木の祟 the curse of the divine Shrine tree
During the time of 清原岑成 Kiyohara no Minenari (799 - 861) as regend of Dazaifu
the damage to the roof of the Shrine had become great and for repair
the people felled the large tree in the Shrine compound.
But Minenari was cursed by the divine tree and died soon after.
. shinboku 神木, shinju 神樹 sacred tree, divine tree .
....................................................................... Kyoto 京都府 .....
伏見区 Fushimi ward
. Toba don 鳥羽殿 Honorable Sir Toba - carps .
....................................................................... Nagano 長野県 .....
松本市 Matsumoto city
. kitsune densetsu 狐と伝説 fox legends .
Foxes are known to bewitch people and make them eat abura-age アブラアゲ / 油揚げ fried Tofu.
Sometimes such a person seems to have become the speaker of 神霊 Shinrei, a divine spirit.
Once a child of 14 years became bewitched and started eading a lot of fried Tofu.
Once the child said "When I become 19, I will stop that!"
And indeed, after his 19th birthday, the child became normal again, after a priest performed a purification ritual.
....................................................................... Nagasaki 長崎県 .....
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諫早市 Isahaya city
. kaikoo 怪光 mysterious light .
and the divine spirit of Princess . Inadahime 稲田姫 Princess Inada .
....................................................................... Osaka 大阪府 .....
大阪市 Osaka city 生野区 Ikuno ward
shinrei 神霊 the divine spirit
When 仁徳天皇 Emperor Nintoku Tenno (257 - 399) lived at 高津の宮 Takatsu no Miya,
his archery place was at 岡村 Okamura village.
People later built a Shinto Shrine there and venerated Nintoku Tenno as a divine spirit.
.......................................................................
三島郡 Mishima district
. Emperor Gotoba Tenno 後鳥羽天皇 / 後鳥羽上皇 .
Around 1595, the famous thief 石川五右衛門 Ishikawa Goemon sneaked into 水無瀬殿 the Hall Minase Dono.
But this was a hall to venerate shinrei 神霊 the divine spirit of Emperor Gotoba.
So his body begun to shrink and he could not leave the place any more.
. Ishikawa Goemon (石川 五右衛門) .
....................................................................... Shimane 島根県 .....
隠岐郡 Oki district
takuhi gongen 焼火権現 Takuhi Divine Fire Deity
At night from the sea around 隠岐 Oki Island, shinka 神火 a divine light was seen, believed to be made
by Takuhi Gongen 焼火権現 the Deity of Divine Fire.
This deity could calm down high waves.
When a boat was near shipwrecking, the sailors prayed to this Deity. Then a divine light would show and they were saved.
. shinka 神火と伝説 Legends about "divine fire" .
shinka 神火 / シンカ "fire of the gods", "light of the gods"
goshinka, go-shinka 御神火 "divine fire" from a volcano
- quote -
焼火神社 Shrine Takuhi Jinja
Deity in residence : 大日霊貴尊（おおひるめむちのみこと） Ohirumemuchi no Mikoto
(This is another name for Amaterasu no Okami.)
Takuhi Shrine, which is located on mountain Takuhi (452m above the sea level), is dedicated to deity of safe sea voyages.
The legend says on 30th December of Japanese lunisolar calendar, three fire balls rose from the sea
and entered the cave where the shrine is located today.
This is the origin of Takuhi Shrine.
A Shinto ritual called “Ryutousai” was held on the day where people from every part of the Oki Islands used to gather at the shrine to worship the sacred fire.
Nowadays, this custom continues on the fifth of lunisolar New Year as “hatsumairi” meaning the first shrine visit of the year.
Each village on the two islands has a dedicated date for the village where the village people gather and celebrate.
The building of the shrine was rebuilt in 1732. It is the most ancient construction on the Oki Islands.
It was constructed with method revolutionary at the time.
Each part was built in Osaka and assembled here (similar to prefabricated construction today).
The shrine has been designated as Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1992.
The historic and religious significance and the timeless beauty of the architecture still remain to this date.
The belief in the burning fire shrine is well known throughout Japan,
as evidenced by its depiction in prints by Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige.
- reference source : takuhi-shrine.com ... -
....................................................................... Tottori 鳥取県 .....
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西伯郡 Saihaku district 大山村 Daisen village
uwanari shinji うわなり神事 / 嫐(うわなり)神事 Uwanari Ritual
自分には神霊は憑かないと言っていたのに、神事が始まると取り憑かれた。
Uwanari was a kabuki play of the Kabuki Jūhachiban, first performed in 1699.
The Eighteen Best Kabuki Plays is a set of kabuki plays, strongly associated with
the Ichikawa Danjūrō line of actors ever since their premieres.
....................................................................... Wakayama 和歌山県 .....
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田辺市 Tanabe city 本宮町 Hongu town
. Legends about Oni Demons .
A demon had been tormenting the farmers for a long time.
They used a long gun, put in a lead bullet with a prayer to Amida Butsu 南無阿弥陀仏 Buddha Amitaba and shot.
Until now no bullet had an effect, but this time,
a special bullet with shinrei 神霊 the spiritual power of Amida was able to hit the demon and kill him.
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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
神霊 - ok
- reference : nichibun yokai database -
continued here :
. tamashi 魂 the soul .
Watakushi no Shinrei Taiken 私の心霊体験 My Shinrei experience / 鹿目和子 Kaname Kazuko
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