Engraved in stone rests a tale of faith and history. This is the story of the \u4f4f\u5409\u5927\u793e Stele.
The \u4f4f\u5409\u5927\u793e Stele stands as a silent witness to centuries. It marks a sacred space within the grounds of the Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine. The shrine is one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines. Locals call it Sumiyoshi-san. People deeply cherish it.
Imagine stepping back in time to the early Heian period. Emperors sent messengers here. These heihaku reported important events to the kami. Sumiyoshi was among the chosen shrines. It received Imperial recognition.
Sumiyoshi-taisha became the chief Shinto shrine for Settsu Province. This highlights its regional religious significance. From 1871 to 1946, it was a Kanpei-taisha. This means it was a government-supported shrine of the highest rank.
The shrine’s history goes back to 211. Tamomi no Sukune founded it during Empress Jingu’s reign. She instructed him to enshrine the Sumiyoshi sanjin. These are Sokotsutsu no Ono-mikoto, Nakatsutsu no Ono-mikoto, and Uwatsutsu no Ono-mikoto. They are collectively known as the Sumiyoshi Okami. Later, Empress Jingu herself was enshrined here. The Tsumori clan has headed Sumiyoshi taisha since Emperor Ojin. They descend from Tamomi no Sukune’s son.
Sumiyoshi taisha is also considered the ancestor shrine of Hachiman. Hachiman is the god of war. Empress Jingu was Emperor Ojin’s mother. He was deified as Hachiman. Sumiyoshi gods are gods of war on the sea. Hachiman is the god of war on land. Sumiyoshi-taisha became one of the three kami of waka later.
Sumiyoshi-taisha connects to ancient Yamato royalty. It played a role in diplomacy and sailing. It protected Imperial embassies to China. The Tsumori clan boarded embassy ships. They were head priests. The embassies left from Suminoe no Tsu. This port was on the Hosoe-gawa river. Emperor Nintoku opened Suminoe no Tsu. It was Japan’s oldest international port. It marked the Silk Road’s entrance into Japan.
Though landlocked now, Sumiyoshi Park used to face the sea. It represented beautiful scenery. This scenery is known as the Sumiyoshi design in art.
In The Tale of Genji, the shrine appears in chapters about the Akashi Lady.
The folktale “Issun-boshi” mentions Sumiyoshi taisha. An old couple prayed here. Their prayers were answered. Their child sailed from Sumiyoshi harbor on a voyage.
The honden displays Sumiyoshi-zukuri architecture. It is the oldest example of this style and a national treasure.
The roof has an okichigi and five katsuogi. There are no corridors. A tamagaki fence surrounds it. An ara-imi fence further encloses the space.
One stone torii is the Kakutorii. Its middle bar does not extend outside the posts. All edges are square. This torii type is named Sumiyoshi torii.
The \u4f4f\u5409\u5927\u793e Stele stands not just as a marker. It is a connector to the past. It embodies the spirit of Sumiyoshi-taisha. It links us to the beliefs and traditions. It has shaped this region for centuries.