Katae-ura

Historical Footprints

Regarding Katae-ura, the Izumo Fudoki records a township, beach, and shrine all bearing the name ‘Katae’, although written with different characters. In the Shimane district section, it states: “The township of Katae lies 6.7 miles east of the district office. Kunioshiwake, a son of Susanoo, declared, ‘The land I govern is well formed,’ and thus the area was named Kataye, meaning ‘well-shaped land.’” It also records: “Katae Beach, 2,090 feet wide, with dwellings to the east and west.” In ancient times, the deity worshipped here was Kunioshiwake.

According to the Unyoushi, the shrines in this area included Zaō Gongen and Katsute Myojin, enshrined together in an aidono (a shared shrine structure housing multiple deities). Zaō Gongen is identified as Emperor Ankan, while Katsute Myojin is associated with Ukenori-no-kami. The same source also mentions a shrine named Uzuka Myojin, dedicated to Kunioshiwake, which is likely the Katae-yashiro described in the Fudoki.

In his 1863 pilgrimage account, Kanezaki Zenbei briefly records worship at a shrine called Katsute Myojin. Since this deity was enshrined together with Zaō Gongen, it is reasonable to assume that he was referring to the same shrine complex.

Today, two shrines exist in the Katae area: Katae-jinja (located in Aza Kamidan) and Uzuka-jinja along the coast. This raises the question of which shrine corresponds to the Zaō Gongen of earlier records.

The 1875 “Imperial Topography” (Teikoku Chishi) survey provides further clues. It records not only Katae-jinja, but also a shrine called Kamito-jinja, enshrining Emperor Ankan and Ukenori-no-kami. This suggests that Kamito-jinja was in fact the Zaō Gongen worshipped during the Forty-Two Bay pilgrimage.

Further complicating matters, Kamito-jinja was once located in what is now Aza Kamidan, the present site of Katae-jinja. Meanwhile, the original Katae-yashiro described in the Fudoki is thought to correspond to the coastal shrine now known as Uzuka-jinja.

In 1911, Kamito-jinja was merged with Katae-jinja, resulting in the current form of Katae-jinja. A memorial stone near Uzuka-jinja identifies the site as the “remains of Katae-jinja,” reinforcing its connection to the ancient shrine.

It is therefore likely that the shrine worshipped during the later Forty-Two Bay pilgrimage was actually the Zaō Gongen (Kamito-jinja) of the Edo period. Visiting both Katae-jinja and Uzuka-jinja offers a rare opportunity to connect with over 1,300 years of layered religious history.

Pilgrimage Route Guide

Matsue City’s New Year event known as ‘Sumitsuke’ has been widely featured in media and is a well-known seasonal tradition. While the procession of omikoshi (portable shrines) to pray for health and household safety is common in Shimane’s Tondo celebrations, Sumitsuke is distinctive for its playful custom of participants—especially women—smearing black pigment onto the faces of others. Traditionally, Japanese radish was used as a brush for applying the pigment.

The Tondo festival, held on January 7, culminates with two Toshitokugami omikoshi being carried into the sea near the former site of Katae-jinja. Seawater is splashed over the shrine bearers, creating a dramatic and energetic spectacle that defies the winter cold.

The omikoshi themselves date back to the late Edo period. Until the end of World War II, the festival also included a ‘danjiri’ (festival float). Today, a ritual “airing” ceremony is held on the fourth Sunday of July to maintain the sacred objects.

The annual Katae-jinja festival, held on October 14, traditionally features performances of ‘Urayasu no Mai’, a classical dance performed by elementary and junior high school girls. Local children also take part in an offering sumo match held within the shrine grounds.

On December 26, children up to the age of ten perform the ‘Hizamochi Shinji’, a unique ritual in which rice cakes are pounded using the knees as an offering to the shrine deity.

The former location of Katae-jinja is in Oyama near the harbor, marked by a stone monument bearing the inscription “Remains of Katae-jinja.” Before the construction of the present coastal road, this site is said to have existed as a small island just offshore.