【埼玉県行田市　前玉神社】「埼玉」の名前はこの神社が発祥！古墳の上に建つ古社　行田名物田んぼアート「鬼滅の刃」！

【埼玉県行田市　前玉神社】「埼玉」の名前はこの神社が発祥！古墳の上に建つ古社　行田名物田んぼアート「鬼滅の刃」！

Hello everyone! This is the Tocomama Information Bureau. Today, I’m in Gyoda City, in northern Saitama Prefecture. I live in Kanagawa Prefecture, so it’s been a two-and-a-half-hour drive! Finally, I finally arrived ! It’s a bit of an adventure, but the reason I wanted to come all the way here is because Gyoda City is home to a group of ancient tombs , a sacred place where great figures have been enshrined and mourned since ancient times. Amazing discoveries and artifacts that even make it into textbooks have been found in these tombs, making it a truly historic place. And there’s a shrine nestled in Gyoda City, so it ‘s incredibly important, as its name is the origin of the name Saitama Prefecture . It ‘s called Maetama Shrine . “Maetama” is said to be the origin of “Saitama,” so I ‘m a bit surprised, but what kind of shrine is it?
I’m going to pay my respects. It’s located along a fairly busy road! There’s a large sacred tree here. I haven’t even passed through the torii gate yet, but this is… a tree called “Maki. ” I’ve never heard of it before. The trunk is incredibly thick… This tree, called “Maki,” is located here and is considered a sacred tree. Now, since I’ve come across the torii gate, I’d like to take a look around the grounds. The shrine name monument is very old. It really gives off a sense of history. It also inscribes the history of the large torii gate of Maetama Shrine . Amazing! A torii gate from the Edo period remains. Excuse me. The guardian lions must also be quite old. There’s also a stone lantern and a green shrine grove. I can even see the second and third torii gates. Entering the approach from the road, I’m greeted by a very quiet, lush, and peaceful atmosphere. The grounds, too, have a natural, tranquil feel . This second torii gate is relatively new, and bears a stone plaque from Maetama Shrine. Excuse me. This chozuya is also very old and decorated with dragon carvings, giving it a historical atmosphere. Look! It’s so cute! A haniwa? So cute! There’s a haniwa placed there. In fact, the dragon carving on this chozuya was chosen as the dragon design for the pure gold zodiac medal issued by the Japan Mint last year, the Year of the Dragon . Here it is. It’s the design on the surface. Even the shrine officials don’t know why Maetama Shrine’s dragon was chosen out of all the other dragon carvings , but I imagine this impressive dragon caught the eye of the Japan Mint. If you visit Maetama Shrine, be sure to take a look at the dragon on the chozuya. It’s a spacious space, and I imagine festivals and other events are held here. There’s an altar platform? Let’s take a look. There’s a sign explaining that Maetama Shrine is the Asamazuka Tomb . Yes, Maetama Shrine is a shrine enshrined on top of an ancient tomb. Maetama Shrine is built on an ancient burial mound called Asamazuka, measuring 8.7 meters in height and 92 meters in circumference. This burial mound is believed to have been constructed in the early 7th century and is said to be the final resting place of a local ruling family from northern Musashi Province. Now, let’s move on to the main shrine. There’s a mysterious atmosphere here. Asama Shrine is enshrined here. A row of flags bearing Konohana Sakuyahime-no-Mikoto stand. Are we really going to follow these? Up these stairs leads to Maetama Shrine. Maetama Shrine, with its very ancient main building , is believed to have first been enshrined during the Kofun period, in the late 400s to early 500s . It is an ancient shrine with a history spanning over a thousand years. It is also known as Saiwai no Mitama Shrine. “Maetama County” evolved into the kanji for “Saitama,” and it is said to be the shrine from which the name Saitama Prefecture originated. The enshrined deities are Maetamahiko-no-Mikoto and Maetamahime-no-Mikoto, Izumo-origin gods from the Kojiki. As both a god and a god are enshrined here, many visitors come to pray for love and marital bliss. Perhaps because it is located on a small hill and is quiet and unpopular, it has a somewhat mystical atmosphere. When taking photos, beautiful light is reflected in the photos, giving off a mysterious feeling, and many people seem to sense some kind of invisible divine aura. I have just visited the shrine, and it is the kind of shrine that gives you a sense of the divine aura that gives you goosebumps . The main shrine building has a very historic feel, and the carvings are also very beautiful. I was mesmerized by the carvings on the main shrine building for a while , and felt reluctant to leave, but I quietly prayed and left the main shrine building, grateful for the opportunity to take photos. Sengen Shrine is enshrined here. Legend has it that during the height of Fuji Sengen worship, a Fuji ascetic proclaimed, “When my life ends, I will make it snow only here.” True to his prophecy, snow fell on June 1st, the day he died. Shimousa no Kami Ujinaga, the lord of Oshi Castle, saw this as strange and enshrined Sengen Shrine here. The shrine’s enshrined deity, Konohana Sakuyahime, is revered as the goddess of child-rearing, safe childbirth, and industry. Let’s take a look around the grounds. Beyond the red torii gate within the grounds is a small main shrine building. A plaque reading “Meiji Shrine” hangs above it. This shrine, which was formed during the Meiji period by consolidating shrines from the Saitama region, is said to enshrine 16 deities. There’s a pond here, called “Ryusen Pond,” which seems like a powerful power spot. I thought it might be Benzaiten, but it doesn’t say “Benzaiten” on the wall. Long ago, this area was rich in water, with abundant spring water. Ryusen Pond is a vestige of that. The island’s small shrine enshrines a dragon, the god of water . The god of Maetama Shrine is an Izumo deity, so you can feel a connection to the dragon god. It was a very mystical place, and could be called a power spot. Finally, we went to the shrine office. There was also a goshuin stamp for Asama Shrine. There were also many other wonderful goshuin stamps, such as a monthly goshuin stamp, a goshuin stamp for visiting the three Maetama shrines with Mount Fuji, and a seasonal goshuin stamp with a red spider lily . I was given this seasonal goshuin stamp. Also, it seems that Maetama Shrine has popular cats, and there are also limited-time goshuin stamps based on these cats. Please check the official website for details. The Saitama Kofun Group was built in succession at the northern end of the Omiya Plateau from the late 5th century to the mid-7th century, and is a cluster of large burial mounds in a small area on the plateau. This is one of the largest clusters of ancient tombs in Japan. This Asamazuka Tomb is located at Maetama Shrine, and there are many large keyhole-shaped tombs. Amazing artifacts have been excavated from the Inariyama Tomb. Here they are. A gold-inlaid iron sword, a National Treasure from the Musashi Saitama Inariyama Tomb . The iron sword’s inscriptions include the words “King Wakatakeru” and “Year of Xinhai. ” King Wakatakeru is believed to be the 21st Emperor, Yuryaku. This discovery shows that the king’s influence extended far and wide during this period . This was a major discovery of the century. The “Gold-inlaid Iron Sword,” a national treasure of great importance in ancient history, is even featured in history textbooks today. The cluster of ancient tombs in Gyoda City, Saitama, evokes a sense of ancient romance for those of us living in the Reiwa era. While I wasn’t able to leisurely explore the tombs this time, I would like to take another “Sakitama Historical Site Tour” if I have the opportunity. There’s one more place I’ve wanted to visit in Gyoda. Here it is! Gyoda Tower: There are a lot of lotus flowers blooming around here, and it seems to have been turned into a lotus park. I came here looking forward to seeing something amazing from Gyoda Tower ! So, I’m going to go up there. There’s a flag! Look! I ‘m sure some of you are familiar with rice field art, but it really does make the rice fields look amazing. It’s a collaboration with “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba,” so I’m looking forward to seeing what it will look like. This is it. Amazing! This is the “Ancient Lotus Hall.” You can enter the tower from here. Right from the entrance, you’re already into “Demon Slayer”! There are rows and rows of character panels on display. At this point, any “Demon Slayer” fan will be thrilled! In the rest area, a video from the movie “The Guardian of the Forbidden City” was being projected. I wanted to sit back and watch, but first, I decided to go to the top of the tower! It’s completely covered in Demon Slayer. I took the elevator to the top . It’s okay to take photos as long as other people’s faces aren’t in the frame ! So exciting! Apparently , it gets very crowded during the summer vacation period, with wait times of several hours. It was a weekday in mid-September , so it was relatively quiet. Now, we arrive at the observation deck! Where is it? I can see it! Wow! Amazing! The rice field art, a staple of Gyoda from early summer to autumn, boasts an area of ​​approximately 2.8 hectares and has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the “World’s Largest Rice Field Art.” This year, the rice field art is collaborating with “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba,” featuring a dynamic depiction of the protagonist, “Tanjiro Kamado.” Peepholes like this one have been installed to prevent reflections on the window glass, making for perfect photo opportunities! The meticulous arrangement of the colors and heights of the four types of rice creates a truly artistic work of art! Even the minute details are beautifully reproduced, leaving us completely impressed! The best time to see this rice field art is until mid-October, so there’s only a short time left to see this spectacular Tanjiro. Even if you’re not a “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” fan, this world-class rice field art is definitely worth a visit! Be sure to hurry! The first-floor shop also has a “Demon Slayer” merchandise section, and this is what I’m looking for! Gyoda’s specialty, the “Jumangoku Manju,” is a collaboration with “Demon Slayer.” The original packaging includes five manju, each stamped with “Demon Slayer,” “Infinity Castle,” and “Destruction.” They’re irresistible! I decided to enjoy one in the rest area on the first floor. Just as I was about to eat one, I heard a voice say, “Welcome to Ancient Lotus Village! This is Tanjiro Kamado!” This park cultivates approximately 120,000 flowering lotus plants of 42 varieties , including the Gyoda lotus . In addition to the observation deck, the Ancient Lotus Hall offers a diorama exhibition room recreating the natural beauty of Gyoda and a lotus observation corner, allowing you to learn about nature while enjoying it. The 50-meter-tall observation tower towering within the park is the Ancient Lotus Hall’s Gyoda Tower. From the observation deck, you can view the world’s largest rice paddy art. There’s also a shop open on the south side of the park. Please relax and enjoy. This year’s theme is “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Castle Arc.” Yay! Please enjoy it at the cinema! Thank you very much for visiting “Ancient Lotus Village” today ! After enjoying Tanjiro’s announcement, it ‘s finally time for manju! The sweet potato skin is filled with smooth bean paste! We start with the character “oni” (demon)! The moist sweet potato with a subtle yam flavor and the smooth bean paste made from carefully selected Hokkaido Tokachi red beans , cooked in-house , create an exquisite balance that melts in your mouth. If I hadn’t toured Gyoda’s famous shrines that use domestic ingredients , and I wasn’t a “Demon Slayer” fan, I might not have had the opportunity to encounter these delicious manju. It was delicious! What did you think of Maetama Shrine? The shrine itself is n’t particularly flashy, but the shrine itself is like a burial mound! It was a wonderful shrine that gave off an atmosphere that seemed to be filled with ancient power . And then there’s Gyoda City in Saitama Prefecture. This was my first time here, but the group of ancient tombs was amazing, and Gyoda Tower! Today I went up and was able to see Tanjiro’s rice field art! It was amazing! Due to time constraints, I wasn’t able to take my time to look around the group of tombs. I really want to take my time to look around each one, so I’d like to visit Gyoda City, Saitama Prefecture again someday when I have the time !

#神社巡り #japanshrine #埼玉県神社 #前玉神社 #埼玉パワースポット #鬼滅の刃 #田んぼアート #行田市

着物で神社巡り
今回は埼玉県行田市に鎮座する「前玉神社」を参拝させていただきました。
「埼玉」という名前のもとになっている古墳の上に建つすごい神社です！
雰囲気も良かったです。
手水舎の龍にも注目ですよ～🎵

「前玉神社」
https://sakitama-jinja.com/

参拝の後は、行田市名物　世界最大田んぼアートを見てきました！
今年は炭治郎です！
圧巻でした～！

「田んぼアート」
埼玉県行田市観光ガイド

世界最大の行田市「田んぼアート」

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