Tōkei Jinja Shrine

Overview

Tōkei Jinja Shrine is a shrine located in Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture, and is known as part of the World Heritage site, "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range". While its founding is traditionally attributed to 419 AD (during the reign of Emperor Yūko), the details of its early history are unclear. However, there are also records suggesting its construction in 684 AD during the reign of Emperor Tenmu. The shrine's name originates from a story in the "Heike Monogatari" (The Tale of the Heike) – a cockfight ritual. During the Genpei War (the war between the Genji and Heike clans), Kanzo, the Kumano Betto (head priest of Kumano), fought cocks of two colors, red and white, and based on the white cock's victory, decided to side with the Genji clan, leading the Kumano navy to the Battle of Dan-no-ura. From this story, during the medieval period, it was also called "Niwatori-awase Daigongen," "Niwatori-awase-gu," and "Tōkei-gu." The location of Tōkei Jinja Shrine served as a midpoint on the pilgrimage route between Nachi Taisha (the first temple on the Saigoku Sanjusan Kannon pilgrimage) and Kii-Miidera (the second temple), becoming a crucial point on the pilgrimage routes and roads since the medieval period. Six shrine buildings, designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan, stand in the grounds, creating a magnificent atmosphere. The main hall and the upper hall share similarities with Kumano Hongū Taisha Shrine, though the principal deity of the main hall is Izanami-no-mikoto. The shrine possesses a "Nachi Sankei Mandala," further demonstrating its strong ties to Kumano. These shrine buildings were rebuilt in the early modern period; the upper hall is the oldest, built in 1658 by local parishioners. The main hall was subsequently donated by Nao Kiy Ando in 1661, east of the upper hall. Several decades later, the west hall was rebuilt east of the main hall in 1737. Finally, the middle hall (Nakashi-sha), the lower hall (Shitasha), and the Yatoman-den (Manzan-gu) were rebuilt in 1748, completing the six shrine buildings. These buildings are considered valuable remains for understanding the development of shrine architecture in this region during the early modern period. Tōkei Jinja Shrine offers a peaceful setting surrounded by history and nature, providing a tranquil escape for many visitors.