普通の外にいくつかの著名な品質を持っている、と畏敬の念を起こさせるあるいかなるビーイングは、カミと呼ばれています。
Saitama-ken, Chichibu-shi, Banba-machi 1−3 J 埼玉県秩父市番場町1−3 Date
Enshrined Kami:
Main
Yagokoro-Omoikane-kami 八意思金神
Chichibu-hiko-Mikoto 知知夫彦命
Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu 秩父宮雍仁親王
From Merged Shrines
None
In-ground Shrines:
Hahaso-Soreisha 柞祖霊社
Magatsuhi-sha 禍津日社
Hahaso-Inari Jinja 柞稲荷神社
Tenman Tenjinsha 天満天神社
Suwa Jinja 諏訪神社
Tosho-Gu 東照宮
Hinomisaki Jinja 日御碕神社
Toyokedai-Jingu 豊受大神宮
Kotai-Jingu 皇大神宮
Tenjinchigisha 天神地祇社
Annual Festival: December 3
The Kokuzo-hongi chapter of the Sendaikuji-hongi tells us that Chichibu Jinja was founded during the reign of Emperor Sujin (97 BC-30BC) by Chichibu-hiko-Mikoto to worship Yagokoro-Omoikane-Kami, the first regional administrator of Chichibu Province, and of whom Chichibu-hiko was a tenth generation descendant.
Included as it is in the Engi-Shiki and having celebrated its 2100th anniversary in 2014 it is one of Kanto’s oldest and most eminent shrines. During the Kamakura Period it was merged with a nearby temple, Myoken-ji, where Taira Yoshifumi was worshipped. The new complex was known as Chichibu Myoken-Gu until 1868, when it reverted to its original name of Chichibu Jinja following the enactment of the Distinction between Shinto and Buddhism Order. In 1928 it was given Kokuhei-kosha ranking.
The current main hall was built in 1592 with the support of Tokugawa Ieyasu and has been designated as a Tangible Cultural Property by Saitama Prefecture.
The shrine’s annual festival, the “Chichibu Night Festival”, is held on December 3, and has been designated by the national government as both an important intangible folk cultural asset and an important cultural property. It is also one of Japan's Top Three Float Festivals, and in 2016 along with thirty-three other Japanese festivals was designated by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage.
The Three Wise Monkeys and the Three Spirited Monkeys
In the world of jinja the three monkeys at the Nikko Toshogu are undoubtedly more well known than Chichibu Jinja's three monkeys. While both sets are of Tokugawa provenance the expressions on the monkeys's faces are totally different. The Toshogu ones derive from the Taoist Koshin faith and are known as the Three Wise Monkeys who "see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil". In complete contrast the Chichibu ones, known as the Three Spirited Monkeys (お元気三猿), "see well, hear well, and speak well". According to the shrine's home page this makes them much more relevant to the contemporary world.
(Click on images to expand them)
see no evil, hear no evil,speak no evil.
see well, hear well,speak well.