By ando 
Basic Information
Name: Kamosu Jinja Shrine (Kamosu Jinja)
Location: 563 Oba-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture
Main enshrined kami: Izanami no Mikoto
Associated enshrined kami: Izanagi no Mikoto
Cultural Properties: Main Hall (National Treasure), Kibune Inari Ryojinja Shrines (Important Cultural Property)
While Shimane Prefecture is famous for Izumo Taisha, Kamosu Jinja Shrine, which preserves “Japan’s oldest Taisha-zukuri style” even older than Izumo Taisha, is quietly enshrined in a peaceful forest in Matsue City. From its very name, this mysterious jinja shrine holds numerous enigmatic episodes that endlessly captivate history enthusiasts and mystery lovers.
Did a ‘Cloud’ Fly from Izumo Taisha? The Mystery of the Ceiling Painting
On the ceiling of Kamosu Jinja Shrine’s Main Hall, a vibrant “Yakumo no Zu” (Eight Clouds Painting) is depicted. However, there’s a peculiar mystery here.
Normally, the ceiling of Izumo Taisha also depicts “Yakumo” (Eight Clouds), but for some reason, it only has “seven” clouds. On the other hand, the ceiling of Kamosu Jinja Shrine displays “nine” clouds.
Local legend says that “one of the eight clouds from Izumo Taisha flew to Kamosu Jinja Shrine out of admiration, leaving Izumo Taisha with seven and Kamosu Jinja with nine.” Why not “eight”? The reason remains one of the romantic unsolved mysteries.
The Legend of the ‘Iron Cauldron’ Descending from Heaven
The legend surrounding the founding of Kamosu Jinja Shrine is also very unique. It is said that when Amenohohi no Mikoto, the ancestral kami of the Izumo no Kuni no Miyatsuko (Governor of Izumo Province), descended from Takamagahara (High Plain of Heaven) to this land, he arrived riding an “iron cauldron.”
This “Ame no Okama” (Heavenly Cauldron) is still carefully preserved as a shrine treasure, and every year on December 13th, the “Okama Shinji” (Cauldron Ritual) is performed. The sight of Shinto priests chanting as they circle the cauldron is reminiscent of ancient rituals, so much so that some fans even whisper that it might be an “ancient UFO legend.”
The Mystery of the ‘Blank Space’ Erased from Ancient Records
Despite being such a prestigious jinja shrine with a National Treasure Main Hall, its name does not appear at all in the “Engishiki Jinmyocho,” a list of shrines from the Heian period, nor in the “Izumo no Kuni Fudoki,” a geographical record from the same era.
One theory suggests it was “a private sanctuary located within the personal residence of the Izumo no Kuni no Miyatsuko.” However, its location in “Oba,” the political center of ancient Izumo, yet being absent from records, sparks imagination that this jinja shrine might have had a special, or hidden, role.
Pilgrimage Information: Mysterious Scenery Depicted in Anime
Kamosu Jinja Shrine, with its overwhelming atmosphere, is also known as a setting or model for anime works.
“BLUE SEED”
A masterpiece suspense-action anime from the 90s. In this work, based on Izumo mythology, Kamosu Jinja Shrine was depicted as one of the important settings.
“Child of Kamiari Month”
A theatrical anime set in Shimane. As the protagonist travels through various parts of Shimane, the solemn stone steps and shrine buildings of Kamosu Jinja Shrine appear impressively as a place evoking the breath of ancient times.
Furthermore, for fans of Touhou Project, with keywords like “Yakumo” and its dedication to Izanagi and Izanami, many visit it as a sacred site.
Climbing the moss-covered steep stone steps and standing before the oldest existing Taisha-zukuri style building, you are enveloped in a profound silence, different from the splendor of Izumo Taisha, as if the “soul of kami” resides here. When visiting Shimane, be sure to visit this mysterious ancient jinja shrine.
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