Niukawakami Shrine

Niukawakami Shrine 丹生川上神社
Niukawakami Shrine at Nara in Japan.
Religion
Affiliation	Shinto
Deity	Mizuhanome
Festival	16 October
Location
Location	968 Ōaza Omura Higashiyoshino Yoshino District Nara prefecture
Shown within Japan
Geographic coordinates	34°23′25″N 135°59′11″E
Architecture
Style	Nagare-zukuri
Date established	675
Website
www.niukawakami-jinja.jp
Glossary of Shinto

Niukawakami Shrine (丹生川上神社, Niukawakami Jinja), also known as Nibukawakami Jinja, is a Shinto shrine located at Higashiyoshino in Nara, Japan.

History

The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period. In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines including the Niukawakami Shrine.

From 1871 through 1946, the Nibukawakami Jinja was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha (官幣大社), meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.

Composition

The shrine has two sub-shrines

• Niukawakami Upper Shrine
• Niukawakami Lower Shrine

See also

• List of Shinto shrines
• Twenty-Two Shrines
• Modern system of ranked Shinto Shrines

References

• Breen, John and Mark Teeuwen. (2000). Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2363-4
• Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962). Studies in Shinto and Shrines. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 399449
• ____________. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 194887