The Suwa Shrine crest
Just like Christianity has a handful of denominations, Shintoism has a number of different types of shrines. My friend Tetsuo tells me that the Suwa branch of shrines is one of the oldest in Japan, dating back as far as the 8th century. According to legend, there were forces in Japan that were trying to unify the country, but those who opposed it fled to the Suwa region, which is now present-day Nagano prefecture.
Tetsuo tells me that during the conflict, "imperial ( Yamato) forces had unified local Kindom of Izumo, and the second son of Izumo had fled to Suwa for independence." Since Izumo's second son had recognizable strength, the Yamato forces decied to recognize the rebels in Suwa as a self-governing kingdom, provided they never leave the area.
As such, the seal on the shrine is different from most others. The majority of shrines bear the imperial chrysanthemum seal. However, the Suwa shrines actually have the seal in this picture.
Interestingly enough, that is also used as the family crest of Tetsuo's family: Araki.
posted by Stardog Champion @ 1:57 PM
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5 Comments:
Interesting information!
Nice symbol. Interesting bits of history!
That was a fascinating story. The older I get, the more I appreciate knowing the history that is behind the world around us.
I love the insight into Japan you bring not only with your pics, but with your text! I can't wait to get there!
Great shot and a good story too.
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