Iwa Shrine

Iwa Shrine stands in Sugyomyo, Ichinomiya-cho, Shiso City, Hyogo Prefecture, and is the chief shrine (ichinomiya) of the old Harima Province. It is an ancient shrine listed in the Engishiki and ranked as a major "myojin" shrine. The main deity is Okuninushi (Iwa-no-Okami), enshrined with Sukunabikona and Shitateru-hime. Together with Unami Shrine in Kobe and Itate-Amateru Shrine in Tatsuno, it is counted among the three great shrines of Harima.

The Harima Fudoki records the deity as Iwa-no-Okami, regarded as a god who opened up the land. In 808 it was assigned 13 households of shrine support, and in 881 it received the court rank of Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade. It rose in rank during the Meiji era and became a national middle-rank shrine in 1912. Iwa-no-Okami is also said to be the deified ancestor of the local ancient chieftain Iwa no Kimi, and the town name Ichinomiya comes from the shrine's status.

Its best-known feature is the orientation of the buildings. The main hall is built in the irimoya style and faces north. Legend says two large white cranes were sleeping on a sacred stone facing north, so the shrine was built the same way. Behind the main hall is that stone, the Tsuru-ishi, with a small worship place. The grove around it is said to have grown overnight, as cedars and cypresses, after an oracle.

The main festival is held on October 15 (a portable shrine procession on the 16th). The Mitsuyama Festival, held every 61 years in a kinoe-ne year, and the wind-calming festival held about a week before the 210th day are special to this shrine. About 400 m to the southwest is Hitotsuyama Kofun, thought to date from the late fifth century.

By car, it is about 13 km from Yamasaki IC on the Chugoku Expressway, and the free car park at Michi-no-Eki Harima Ichinomiya (36 spaces) can be used. By public transport, take a Shinki Bus from Himeji Station toward Yamasaki, change buses and get off at the Ichinomiya Iwa Jinja stop. Allow 30 to 60 minutes. Nearby sights include Engyo-ji (about 23 km), Sakemi-ji (about 28 km) and Himeji Central Park (about 29 km).