Mishima-taisha

Mishima-taisha in Mishima, Shizuoka, is the ichinomiya of former Izu Province and an Engishiki Jinmyocho (927 CE) Myojin-Taisha of Kamo District. Its main deities are Oyamatsumi no Mikoto and Tsumihayae Kotoshironushi no Kami, jointly called Mishima Daimyojin. Kojiki (712 CE) lists Oyamatsumi among the offspring of Izanagi and Izanami; Kotoshironushi appears as the son of Okuninushi in the kuniyuzuri narrative. The grounds preserve a thousand-year-old fragrant olive tree, a designated National Natural Monument. The shrine's historical significance is closely tied to Minamoto no Yoritomo, who prayed here in 1180 before launching his eastern campaign that founded the Kamakura shogunate. The current main hall was rebuilt in 1854 and is an Important Cultural Property. It was raised to the rank of national shrine of major rank in 1871, then to imperial shrine of major rank in 1885. The August 15-17 grand festival is the largest summer rite of the Izu region.