Virtual New Innami County 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #8 Rendai-ji Temple

 

     In legendary times, Okinagatarashi (170?-269?), a legendary empress, was said to have made a military expedition to Silla in the Korean Peninsula.  A historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla) recorded 14 organized piracies by Wa, the Japanese kingdom, by the end of the 4th century, and Okinagatarashi’s expedition to Silla might have been one of those piracies.  On her way, Okinagatarashi is believed to have stopped at where Minato Shrine is located.

     In those days, an isle was in the sea off the coast.  It is unknown when Hachiman Shrine was invited to the islet.  The isle could have been already a hill when the shrine was invited.  It is unknown when the Matogata area was reclaimed from the sea, but Matogata Manor was first documented in 1337.  The shrine also functions as a temporary shrine of Minato Shrine.

It is unknown when Rendai-ji Temple was founded as a shrine temple of Hachiman Shrine.  It should have been abolished after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868.

Hachiman Shrine

Address: Matogata 1312, Matogatacho, Himeji, Hyogo 671-0111

Minato Shrine

Address: Matogata-1249 Matogatacho, Himeji, Hyogo 671-0111

Phone: 079-254-0613