Ninomiya Shrine

Overview

Ninomiya Shrine is a shrine located in Miyake Village (Miyakejima), Tokyo. It is enshrined directly in front of Tsubota Fishing Port, a harbor in the southeast of Miyakejima, in a location overlooking the sea. It is regarded as the candidate shrine identified with the shikinaisha Iwanohime-no-Mikoto Shrine recorded in the Heian-period Engishiki Jimmyocho, and is known as a shrine of ancient lineage. The name Ninomiya (second shrine) is said to derive from its enshrining a deity connected to the second consort of Mishima Daimyojin (Kotoshironushi-no-Mikoto), the center of faith in the Izu Islands; because it enshrines a deity who is the elder sister of the deity of Mishaku Shrine, it is said to be called by this name. Ancient shrines are scattered across the volcanic island of Miyakejima, and Ninomiya Shrine occupies an important place among them, a shrine conveying the history of faith unique to the Izu Islands.

History and Origins

The date of Ninomiya Shrine's founding and its detailed origins are unknown, but it is regarded as the candidate shrine for the Iwanohime-no-Mikoto Shrine, recorded as a shikinaisha of Kamo District, Izu Province, in the Heian-period Engishiki Jimmyocho, and its history is thought to reach back into antiquity. The Engishiki Jimmyocho is a register of deities included in the Engishiki, the detailed regulations of the ritsuryo codes compiled in 927; a shikinaisha listed in it was a shrine of proper lineage made an object of state ritual by the court of the time. Many shikinaisha are listed in the Izu Islands, telling us that deities have been enshrined since ancient times on these islands born of volcanoes.

Indispensable to understanding Ninomiya Shrine is the Mishima faith that spread throughout the Izu Islands. At the center of faith in the Izu Islands is Mishima Daimyojin (Kotoshironushi-no-Mikoto). The medieval engi text Miyakeki conveys a story in which Mishima Daimyojin placed his consort deities on each island, and many of the shrines scattered across the Izu Islands enshrine this Mishima Daimyojin and his consort and child deities. Iwanohime-no-Mikoto, regarded as the deity of Ninomiya Shrine, is a goddess in this lineage of the Mishima faith, regarded as a deity connected to the second consort of Mishima Daimyojin. The shrine name Ninomiya is said to derive from this connection to the second consort, and from also enshrining her second prince; because it enshrines a deity who is the elder sister of the deity of Mishaku Shrine, we can see that this shrine is positioned within the connections of sister and parent-child deities.

In the Izu Islands, where islands are said to have been born one after another by volcanic activity, the myth that Mishima Daimyojin created the islands and placed deities upon them has been handed down, tied to the very formation of the islands themselves. Ninomiya Shrine is one of the precious ancient shrines that conveys to this day this mythological world unique to the Izu Islands.

Highlights

One highlight of Ninomiya Shrine is its location overlooking the sea. Enshrined directly in front of Tsubota Fishing Port in the southeast of Miyakejima, the fishing port and the sea spread out beside the shrine. The lives and faith of the island people who live by the sea can be felt from the shrine's appearance. The ancient shrine, enshrined within a natural environment unique to a volcanic island, conveys a form of island faith different again from the shrines of the mainland.

Another highlight is the mythological world unique to the Izu Islands, which comes into view by placing this shrine within the lineage of the Mishima faith. On Miyakejima, ancient shrines are scattered, including Toga Shrine, regarded as the center of faith in the Izu Islands, as well as Mishaku Shrine, Ninomiya Shrine, and Shiitori Shrine. These shrines are connected to one another as enshrining Mishima Daimyojin and his consort and child deities, and rather than visiting just one, grasping them within the connections of the deities of the whole island deepens one's understanding of their meaning. Each year at New Year, the Wakana Festival is held in which the Mitachi-sama (Mishaku-sama) tours the island; the Mitachi-sama is said to visit Ninomiya Shrine as well, where a naorai (communal feast) is held. This event, in which the island's deities tour the island, conveys the living form of Miyakejima's faith and is a fascinating one.

Event Information and Access

Known as an event connected to Ninomiya Shrine is the Wakana Festival held each year at New Year. This is an event in which the deity of Miyakejima (Mitachi-sama, Mishaku-sama) tours the shrines of the island; the Mitachi-sama visits Ninomiya Shrine as well, where a naorai is held. It is a solemn event conveying to this day an ancient form of faith unique to the Izu Islands, in which the island's deities tour the island. Unlike a festival with gorgeous floats or large processions, it is a simple rite rooted in the life of the island.

For access, travel to Miyakejima is the premise. One reaches Miyakejima by large passenger ship departing from Takeshiba Pier in Tokyo, or by air from Chofu Airfield. On the island, Ninomiya Shrine is enshrined in the Tsubota district in the southeast, directly in front of Tsubota Fishing Port. Travel within the island is by bus, rental car, rental motorbike, and the like. As a volcanic island, Miyakejima has experienced eruptions in the past, and depending on the state of volcanic activity, entry and transportation may be affected, so it is important to check the latest information when visiting. As the shrine is a place of island life and faith, one should visit quietly and with respect when worshiping. The exact event dates and times can best be confirmed through local information.

Around the Area

Miyakejima, where Ninomiya Shrine is located, is one of the Izu Islands belonging to Tokyo, an island whose appeal lies in magnificent nature and a distinctive culture of faith. Beginning with Toga Shrine, regarded as the center of the island's faith, ancient shrines connected to the Mishima faith such as Mishaku Shrine and Shiitori Shrine are scattered across the island, and by touring these ancient shrines one can touch the depth of the mythological world of the Izu Islands. A journey visiting the shrines of the island together with Ninomiya Shrine will be an experience unique to Miyakejima.

Miyakejima is an active volcanic island, and the dynamic scenery its volcano has created is also a highlight. Traces of lava flows and remains of buildings buried by eruptions are scattered across the island, places where one can feel up close the power of nature unique to a volcanic island. Miyakejima is also known as a sacred site for birdwatching, with a rich natural environment inhabited by precious wild birds including the akakokko (Izu thrush). The surrounding sea is highly transparent, and diving and fishing can be enjoyed as well. Miyakejima, where nature, faith, and the distinctive landscape created by the volcano are united, is a fitting place to savor the island's history and culture at leisure while visiting ancient shrines like Ninomiya Shrine.

Related Information

Details on Ninomiya Shrine can be found in research materials on Engishiki shrines and in shrine-related information of Miyakejima and the local area. This shrine is the candidate shrine for the shikinaisha Iwanohime-no-Mikoto Shrine recorded in the Engishiki Jimmyocho, an ancient shrine in the lineage of the Mishima faith of the Izu Islands. Iwanohime-no-Mikoto, regarded as its deity, is a deity connected to the second consort of Mishima Daimyojin, and because she is the elder sister of the deity of Mishaku Shrine, the shrine is called Ninomiya. On Miyakejima, ancient shrines connected to the Mishima faith such as Toga Shrine, Mishaku Shrine, and Shiitori Shrine are scattered, and Ninomiya Shrine is one of them, an important presence for understanding the history of faith in the Izu Islands. Tracing the connections and origins of the deities of these ancient shrines, the distinctive mythological world that the volcanic Izu Islands have nurtured comes into view. When visiting ancient shrines, one should bear in mind that these are places of faith long and carefully protected by island people, and worship with respect.

← Explore More Festivals