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Oyamato Jinja Shrine
1st Century BCE
One of Japan’s oldest shrines, where the deity of the land resides.
With a colorful history that goes back to Japan’s earliest days, Oyamato Jinja shrine is one of the most fascinating places in Tenri City.
Its history begins in 92 BCE, when the deities Amaterasu and Yamato Okunitama were both worshipped in the same hall of the imperial palace. Emperor Sujin, the 10th emperor of Japan, worried about upsetting the deities, and ordered two of his daughters to move the deities. Princess Toyosukiirihime moved Amaterasu to the village of Kasanui, and Princess Nunakiirihime moved Yamato Okunitama to the village of Ichishi, and this is considered to be the establishment of Oyamato Jinja shrine.
As Yamato Okunitama is the deity of the land, Oyamato Jinja shrine was where a special prayer was held in the 7th century to ensure the safe passage of the Japanese envoys to Tang, China. This history is treasured even today. A poem stone on the grounds is inscribed with words written at the time by a famous poet, Yamanoue no Okura, roughly translated as, “Leave well, come home well”. The shrine also honors this history by holding an annual prayer for transportation safety and offering protective amulets for transportation safety.
Later in the 20th century, Yamato Okunitama was divided and enshrined on the Japanese battleship Yamato. Today, the length of the shrine’s main approach is the same length as the battleship.
Worshipping the tutelary deity of this region, Oyamato Jinja shrine has always had a strong connection to the locals, with many traditions and ceremonies like the Chan Chan Matsuri festival and the Benishide Odori dance being passed down through generations.
With such a long and unique history, we feel that Oyamato Jinja shrine is a perfect place to time travel in Tenri City.
Access
By car: Oyamato Jinja shrine is about 6 km south from the Tenri IC on the Nishi-Meihan Expressway, and 6 km south of the Tenri Higashi IC on the Meihan Expressway.
By train: Oyamato Jinja shrine is about 1 km southeast of JR Nagara Station on the Manyo Mahoroba Line.
By bus: Oyamato Jinja shrine is less than 1 km southwest of the Oyamato-jinja bus stop on the Nara Kotsu bus line.
Environment
The torii gate at the entrance of Oyamato Jinja shrine faces a road that was called the Kamitsumichi, a road that existed as early as the 7th century, and later became a major road in this region called the Kamikaido in the Edo period (1603-1868). In addition to its traditional streetscape, this street also features many other shrines, temples, and historical places, just another reminder of why Tenri is Time Travel City.
Point
While it is difficult to say specifically which shrine is the oldest in Japan, Oyamato Jinja shrine goes back over 2,000 years, and is without a doubt one of the oldest shrines in Japan. In addition to its rich history, it has a calm and powerful air, warmth, and familiarity that has welcomed people from near and far for generations.
Map
Information
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| Address： | 306 Niizumi Town, Tenri City, Nara Prefecture |
| Admission： | Free |
| Parking： | Yes |
| Rest Area： | Yes |
| Toilet： | Yes |
| Contact： | |
| Website： | Oyamato Jinja Shrine Homepage |
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