Turtle Stone of Kigami Shrine

The following text is a slightly modified machine translation and may have some unnatural parts.

==Introduction==

There is a rock called Kameishi (Turtle Stone) in the precincts of Kigami Shrine in Iwami Ginzan (Omori-Town, Oda City, Shimane Prefecture).

Kigami Shrine in Iwami Ginzan

Turtle Stone in Kigami Shrine

==Synopsis==

About a thousand years ago, when Kigami Shrine was located on Mt. Kigami in Nima-Town Maji, it was worshiped as the god of sea defense. A stone in the shape of a sea turtle was dedicated by the worshiper and prayed for the safety of the sea. This turtle stone was carried when the shrine was relocated to Mt. Atago in the 15th century, but it was forgotten to carry the turtle stone when it was relocated to its present location in the 16th century. Kameishi said that his tortoise shell was the family crest of Kigami Shrine. He went down the mountain to go, but he sank to the bottom of the river at the foot of mountain under his own weight and couldn't help. From then on, people began to hear strange sounds from inside the river as they passed by the riverbank. It sounded like washing azuki beans. When a dilettante raised the stone to the side of the road, it was a turtle-shaped stone. After that, it was placed on the roadside until the Taisho era under the name of red bean (azuki) stone. One night, when this stone appeared in the dream of The godliness, Tanaka, and confessed the matter, Tanaka immediately told the priest about it and settled down in the shrine's precincts.

Legend of Turtle Stone in Kigami Shrine

==Shrine==

Kigami Shrine is a Shikinai shrine (the old and officially certified shrines), and it is said that Ouchi clan moved to Mt. Atago in the 15th century, and then Mori clan moved to the present location in the 16th century, although it was originally enshrined in Nima-Town Maji. Omononushi is the deity. It is equated with the soul of the Okuninushi. It is a god of Great Miwa.

History of Kigami Shrine

The ceiling picture in the hall of worship is "Singing Dragon (Naki-Ryu)", and when you applaud once or twice, the ceiling resonates.

The ceiling picture of Singing Dragon (Naki Ryu)

==Digression==

You can go to Iwami Ginzan and Omori-Town by bus, but when I visited, I parked my car in the parking lot of the World Heritage Center and walked to the town via the promenade. Since it is a promenade, there is no lighting, and when it gets dark, you cannot see the road, so you have to turn back while it is bright, but it is about 1.5 kilometers to the town, and it takes about 20 minutes, so you can walk. It is about 3 km from Kigami Shrine to Ryugenji Mine. If you go back and forth between Iwami Ginzan, you will walk about 9 to 10 kilometers in total, or you will walk as much as playing golf.

Kigami Shrine in Iwami Ginzan

==References==

• * 『式内社調査報告 第二十一巻 山陰道４』（式内社研究会／編, 皇学館大学出版部, 1983）
• * 『日本の神々―神社と聖地 第七巻 山陰』（谷川健一／編, 白水社, 1985）