- HOME
- Japan Heritage and the ninja
- Tejikara-jinja Shrine, the guardian deity shrine of Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami, one of the three greatest Iga ninjas
Tejikara-jinja Shrine,
the guardian deity shrine of
Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami,
one of the three greatest Iga ninjas
Amenotajikarao-no-mikoto is a deity known for his extreme strength by opening the gigantic Amano-iwato rock door with his divine force when Amaterasu-omikami hid herself behind it in Japanese mythology. It is not clear when the shrine was founded, but it is said that the enshrined deity was welcomed from Togakushi-jinja Shrine in Nagano Prefecture between 1288 and 1292.
The celebration of Tejikara fireworks is held every year on October 17 at Tejikara-jinja Shrine. The origin of the fireworks display is believed to be the act Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami, a shrine parishioner, dedicating fire to the shrine. Along with Hattori Hanzo and Momochi Tanba-no-kami, he was known as a great master of Iga Ninjutsu (ninja skills) and an expert of fire-based practices.
Gunpowder techniques were passed on through generations and fireworks dedicated to the shrine were hand-made by young people of the village until the 1920’s.
Tejikara-jinja Shrine
-
Access
-
15 minutes’ drive from Tsuge Sta. on the JR Kansai Line
-
TEL
-
090-7699-7732
-
Address
-
1025 Higashiyubune, Iga City
-
Parking
-
Available