Ōmi Jingū or Omi Shrine is a Jingū shinto shrine in Ōtsu, a city in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. It was constructed in 1940 and is dedicated to Emperor Tenji.
The shrine is located near Ōmijingūmae Station.
History
The shrine is dedicated to Emperor Tenji (626-671), the 38th emperor of Japan.
Emperor Tenji carried out the
Taika Reforms and aimed to complete the reform in the capital city, which was located on the west bank of
Lake Biwa.
He moved the Japanese capital from Asuka to Ōtsu in 667.
Emperor Tenji also presided over the establishment of the first rōkoku, or Japanese
water clock system, which was installed in 671.
The proposal for this shrine to Emperor Tenji was first considered by Japanese Diet in 1908.
Layout and design
The shrine is surrounded by a large forest.
[ Its main gate and buildings are painted red.][
]
Omi shrine pavilions were constructed by a method of Omi-zukuri, and it is listed in the Registered Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan.
There are a multitude of facilities within the precinct of the shrine, including Ichi-no-Torii (一の鳥居: First gate), Ni-no-Torii (二の鳥居: Second gate), Syagō Hyō (社号標: Stone pillar on which shrine name is engraved), Temizusha (手水舎: Purification font), Yuisho Kōsatsu (由緒高札: Official bulletin board about the origin), Rōmon (楼門: Tower gate), Ge-haiden (外拝殿: Outer Haiden), Nai-haiden (内拝殿: Inner Haiden), Honden (本殿: Main hall), Kaguraden (神座殿: Hall for a sacred symbol), Tokeikan Hobutsukan (時計館宝物館: Treasure hall of clock museum), Hidokei (日時計: a sun-dial), Rokoku (漏刻: water clock
), Kodai Hidokei (古代火時計: Ancient fire clock), Jidosya Kiyoharae-sho (自動車清祓所: Purification place for cars), Seishō Yōhaiden (栖松遙拝殿: The hall to worship kami from afar), Karuta gaku (かるた額: Frame for karuta), Haraedo (also known as 'harae-dokoro,' or 'harae-dono')(祓所: a site where harae is performed), Komorebi no Michi (木洩れ日の道: The road of sunlight filtering through trees
), Tokei Gakko (時計学校: The clock School), Omi Kangakukan (近江勧学館: Omi school), and Zen-an (善庵).
file:Oumijingu honden.jpg|Honden (本殿: Main hall)
file:Omi-jingu08n4500.jpg|Naihaiden (内拝殿: Inner Haiden)
file:Omi-jingu07n4592.jpg|Gehaiden (外拝殿: Outer Haiden)
file:Omi-jingu12n4500.jpg|Gehaiden Naiin-Kairō (内院回廊: The corridor of the innermost shrine)
file:Omi-jingu10n4290.jpg|Gehaiden (外拝殿: Outer Haiden) and Naiin-Kairō (内院回廊: The corridor of the innermost shrine)
file:Omi-jingu09n4592.jpg|Naiin-Kairō (内院回廊)
file:Omi-jingu14n4592.jpg|Kaguraden (神楽殿: Hall for a sacred symbol)
file:Oumijingu keidaisha.jpg|Seishō Yōhaiden (栖松遥拝殿: The hall to worship kami from afar)
file:Omi-jingu21n4592.jpg|Ichi-no-Torii (一の鳥居: First gate)
file:Omi-jingu22n4500.jpg|Ni-no-Torii (二の鳥居: Second gate)
Monument status
National treasure of Japan
Search in the online database of the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan for country's designated cultural properties
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Sufukuji-tō-shinso-nōchihin (崇福寺塔心礎納置品) x1 set - deposited to Kyoto National Museum
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Shari (舎利) x3
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Shari container (舎利容器) x1
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Kinsen-hekiruritubo (金蓋碧瑠璃壺) x1
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Kinsei-Uchibako (金製内箱) x1
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Ginsei-Nakabako (銀製中箱) x1
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Kondo-Sotobako (金銅外箱) x1
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Ruri-Gyoku (瑠璃玉) x1 set
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Kōgyoku-Marutama (硬玉丸玉) x3
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Kondō-Haitekkyo (金銅背鉄鏡) x1
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Mumonginsen (無文銀銭) x11
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Suishō-ryu (水晶粒) x2
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Dōrei (銅鈴)（残欠共） x2
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Kinpaku-Moppen-Sonota-Hanshutsubutsu-Issai (金箔木片其他伴出物一切)
Important cultural properties of Japan
Search in the "Cultural Heritage Online" of the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan
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Hakuji-Suichu (白磁水注/滋賀県大津市滋賀里町字勧学堂出土) - deposited to The Museum of Shiga Prefecture, Biwako-Bunkakan
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Shihonbokuga-tansai-tokakusansuizu (紙本墨画淡彩楼閣山水図) Rokkyoku-Byōbu-Isso (六曲屏風一双) by Soga Shōhaku - deposited to The Museum of Shiga Prefecture, Biwako-Bunkakan
Registered tangible cultural property of Japan
Search in the "Cultural Heritage Online" of the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan
File:Omi-jingu11n4592.jpg|Naihaiden and the back of Honden
File:Omi-jingu25n4500.jpg|Omi Kangakukan (近江勧学館: Omi school)
File:Omi-jingu23n4350.jpg|ShamushoI (社務所I: Shrine office I)
File:Omi-jingu24n4500.jpg|ShamushoI (社務所I: Shrine office I)
File:Omi-jingu26n4592.jpg|Rest house for worshippers (soba restaurant)
File:Oumijingu kyu-otsuchihosaibansho-kurumayose.jpg|Jidōsya (car)-kiyoharaesho (自動車清祓所: Purification place for cars)
File:Oumijingu_romon1.jpg|Rōmon (楼門)
File:Oumijingu_romon3.jpg|Rōmon (楼門)
File:Oumijingu_romon4.jpg|Rōmon (楼門)
Monuments inscribed with poems (tanka and haiku)
Poem monuments made by the carving of famous tanka and haiku on natural stone is known as kuhi (句碑) and kahi (歌碑), respectively. The Omi shrine has 13 poem monuments.
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(芭蕉 句碑) Kuhi inscribed with a Matsuo Bashō's haiku, "から崎の松は花より朧にて".
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(天智天皇 御製) Kahi inscribed with an Emperor Tenji's tanka, "秋の田の刈穂の庵の苫をあらみわが衣手は露にぬれつゝ".
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(横井時常（第2代宮司）歌碑: ) Kahi inscribed with a Tokitsune Yokoi (1st Shinto)'s tanka, "歳神は今帰らすか左義長の青竹はぜて高く燃え立つ".
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(平田貫一（初代宮司）歌碑: ) Kahi inscribed with a Kanichi Hirata (2nd Guji)'s tanka, "比叡ヶ嶺に近く琵琶湖を目下に大神の辺に永世住まなむ".
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(香川進 歌碑) ": 湖ほとに息づき比そめと波はいひは留けく可奈志と波はまたいふ".
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(山村金三郎 歌碑) Kahi inscribed with a Kanesaburō Yamamura's tanka, "湖に音なき音を韻かせて比良ゆ流るる夕茜雲".
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(保田與重郎 歌碑) Kahi inscribed with a Yojurō Yasuda's tanka, "さざなみのしがの山路の春にまよひひとり眺めし花盛りかな".
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(春日真木子 歌碑) Kahi inscribed with a Makiko Kasuga's tanka, "人間の智恵のはじめよひそひそと秘色の水に刻まあたらし".
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(伊藤香舟女 句碑) Kuhi inscribed with Kashujo Itō's haiku, "楼門に湖脈打てる望の月".
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(桂樟蹊子 句碑) Kuhi inscribed with Shōkeishi Katsura's haiku, "漏刻の音とこしへに初日影".
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(高市黒人 歌碑) Kahi inscribed with a Takechi no Kurohito's tanka, "楽浪乃国都美神乃浦佐備而荒有京見者悲毛".
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(柿本人麻呂 歌碑) Kahi inscribed with a Kakinomoto no Hitomaro's tanka, "淡海乃海夕浪千鳥汝鳴者情毛思努爾古所念".
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(大友皇子御製 漢詩) Kahi inscribed with an Emperor Kōbun (Ootomo no Miko)'s Chinese poetry, "皇皇明日月と光り 帝徳天地に載す 三才並に泰昌 万国臣義を表す".
Omi Jingu Tokei Museum (Clock Museum)
In the precincts of this shrine, the Omi Jingu Clock Museum displays various clocks centering on roukoku and Japanese clocks.
file:Omi-jingu clock museum.jpg|Tokei Museum (Clock Museum) (時計館宝物館)
Festivals and annual events
A Water Clock Festival, Rokoku-sai, held in honor of the first water clock in Japan installed at the shrine, takes place around June 9–10, the day when the water clock is thought to have been installed.[Japan National Tourism Organization, Lake Biwa, Otsu and Hikone]
The Japanese national championship competitive karuta tournament, Karuta Matsuri, takes place here every January, on the first Saturday and Sunday after the New Year holiday.[ Omi Shrine, the setting for the popular comic book "Chihayafuru", Tourism and International Exchange Bureau Department of Commerce, Industry, Tourism and Labor, Shiga Prefecture Biwako Visitors Bureau] The tournaments take place here as Emperor Tenji composed the first poem of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu poetry collection forming the basis of the game.
Another annual festival, Reisai, is held on 20 April, the anniversary of Otsu establishment as the capital during Emperor Tenji reign.[
]
The list of annual celebrations and events
The following recurring events take place at the Omi Shrine:
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January 1 (from 0 a.m.): "New Year's festival"
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January 1 (from 7 a.m.): "Service of worshipping toward the first sunrise"
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January 2 (from 8:30 a.m.): "Opening festival whereby ambrosia is offered to the deity"
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January 2 (from 8:30 a.m.): "Shinto festival of origins to think back myths about founding of Japan in all sincerity"
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January 7 (from 9 a.m.): "Service of worshipping for Emperor Shōwa"
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January 10 (from 8:30 a.m.): "The festival to honor Emperor Tenji
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January 11: "Karuta Meijin and Queen championship match"
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January 12 (from 9 a.m.): "Karuta Festival"
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January 12–13: "Prince Takamatsu Memorial Cup Uta-garuta Tournament "
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January 15 (from 10 a.m.): "Ceremony of Burning Shinsatsu (Ofuda: a type of household amulet or talisman)"
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February 3 (from 10 a.m.): "The festival on the day before the beginning of Spring"
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February 11 (from 10 a.m.): "Festival to celebrate the day of a Jinmu Emperor's reign recall myths about founding of Japan
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February 23 (from 9:30 a.m.): "Festival to recall the Ōmi Code, the first Japanese legal code, which consists of 22 volumes, established by Emperor Tenji
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March 1 (from 9 a.m.): "The festival to honor Emperor Tenji who promoted studies and established an education system"
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March 17 (from : 11 a.m.): "The festival to pray for the productiveness of grain"
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March 21: "Vernal Equinox Holiday"
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April 19 (from 4 p.m.): " (imperial envoys) come to the Omi shrine and pray for the reisai of the next day"
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April 20: 4="Omi reisai is one of (festivals held by Imperial ordinance) and commemorate the day when Emperor Tenji transferred the capital to an inland area, Omi Otsu no Miya, in 667.
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April 20 (from 2 p.m.): "Omi festival"
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April 29 (from 9:30 a.m.): "Showa festival to recall the Shōwa Era and honor the Shōwa emperor"
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May (from 11 a.m.): ""
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June 9 (from 10 a.m.): "The tea-offering festival"
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June 10 (from 11 a.m.): "The rōkoku (water clock) festival"
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June 12 (from 4:30 a.m.): "The festival to remember the punishment from the kami of thunder (Raijin) in 1975
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June (4th Sunday) (from 11 a.m.): "The sweets- and sencha (tea)-offering festival"
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June 30 (from 11 a.m.): "Feast"
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July 7 (from 11 a.m.): "The festival to recall the day when Koshi Province present reburnable water and clay to Emperor Tenji"
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July 20–21: "All Japan High School Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Karuta Tournament (Karuta Koshien)"
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July 30: "Grand purification rite"
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August 24 (from 11 a.m.): "the Emperor Kōbun festival"
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August 24 (from 1 p.m.): "The book-offering festival" to recall the tradition of Omi which produce a lot of Shosei (a respectful way to call great calligraphers) such as Saichō and Ono no Tōfū.
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September 8 (from 3 p.m.): "The festival to enjoy the great bright moon"
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September 15 (from 9:30 a.m.): "The festival to respect the old"
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September 23: "Autumnal Equinox Day"
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October 17 (from 9:30 a.m.): "The festival to honor the Kannamesai Festival, which is the annual harvest festival of the Ise Grand Shrine"
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November 1 (from 12 p.m.): "The Chrysanthemum flower festival"
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November 3 (from 0:30 p.m.): "Yabusame rite"
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November 7 (from 11 a.m.): "The festival commemorating the day of enshrinement of Omi shrine"
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December 1 (from 10 a.m.): "The festival to dedicate the first crops to the Omi shrine"
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December 13: "Kadomatsu (New Year's pine decoration) stands on either side of the Rōmon"
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December 20 (from 9:30 a.m.): "The cleaning ritual"
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December 23 (from 10 a.m.): "The festival for the Emperor's Birthday"
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December 31 (from 3:30 p.m.): "New Year's Eve festival"
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December 31: "Grand purification rite"
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on the 1st, 10th and 20th of the month (from : a.m.): "Monthly festival"
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on the 1st of the month: "The Pray-Traffic-Safety festival"
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on the 27th of the month: "fire-extinguishing festival"
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on the 28th of the month: "The service for the consolation of souls of casualties from drowning accidents"
External links
