Kitaura

Historical Footprints

The former shrine name ‘Inakura Daimyojin’ is likely related to ‘Inakura Myojin’ recorded in the Kita-ura section of the Shimane district in the Unyoushi. However, the same source also mentions a shrine named ‘Inasumi Myojin’, adding to the complexity.

The Unyoushi, quoting the Fudoki, refers to an ‘Inasumi-yashiro’, suggesting that the bay was once known as ‘Inasumi-ura’. These overlapping names indicate that the historical record is not entirely consistent and can be difficult to interpret.

Today, the shrine located in the western part of Kita-ura, at the foot of Mount Nagura, is Inazumi-jinja, while the shrine overseeing the broader Inazumi area is Inaake-jinja. It appears that shrine names and identities have undergone several changes over time.

Both ‘Inazumi’ and ‘Inaake’ are names found in the Fudoki, and their legacy continues in shrines throughout the Kita-ura region. It is thought that ‘Inazumi’ was once written with different characters but shared the same pronunciation, while ‘Inaake’ may originally have been simply ‘Ina’, which could explain the emergence of the name ‘Inakura’.

During the height of the Forty-Two Bay pilgrimage, it is possible that two separate shrines existed along this route. This raises an interesting question: which shrine was regarded as the primary object of worship, given the principle of “one bay, one shrine”?

Even official sources such as “Shinkoku Shimane” reflect this ambiguity. One possible clue lies in the nearby place name ‘Mount Nagura’, located behind Inazumi-jinja. The element ‘-gura’ in ‘Nagura’ may be related to ‘Inagura’, suggesting a connection to the name Inakura Daimyojin.

The scenic beauty of Kita-ura and the Inazumi coastline, seemingly embraced by shrines to the east and west, creates a sense of spiritual protection and tranquility.

Pilgrimage Route Guide

Kita-ura, with its white sands and green-blue pine trees, is the largest bathing beach along the eastern Shimane Peninsula. It is popular among families and young visitors, with private beach houses and accommodations for school and university retreats.

Each year on the national holiday ‘Umi no Hi’ (Marine Day), held on the third Monday of July, a tug-of-war event takes place on the stone-paved area near the shrine. Inazumi-jinja is located between the two beaches where this event is held.

On January 3, the Sagicho ritual—locally known as Tondo—is held, during which New Year decorations are burned. A portable shrine modeled after the deity Toshitokugami is carried through the town, and children dressed in tengu (goblin) and lion masks perform traditional dances.

On January 5, Shinto rituals are conducted to pray for household safety, along with the Otaue (rice-planting) ceremony. This ritual, which prays for agricultural prosperity and the flourishing of descendants, includes the arrangement of sakaki leaves on straw mats within the worship hall. Women are also permitted to participate in this ceremony.

The Omato-shinji ritual is held on Mount Edaki, where a toya (a lay organizer responsible for rituals at shrines without a resident priest) shoots arrows at a target depicting the Yatagarasu, the three-legged crow.

While it is uncommon on the Shimane Peninsula to target a crow—typically a symbol of the sun or Emperor Jinmu—similar practices can be found on the Oki Islands, where rituals involve shooting at images of a demon, crow, and rat as part of prayers for agricultural prosperity.