S P O T ／ SPOT-255

Aekuni Shrine

敢國神社あえくにじんじゃ

The ichinomiya (first-ranked shrine) of Iga Province, Aekuni Shrine is said by its own tradition to have been founded in 658, and is a Shikinai-taisha listed in the ancient Engishiki. Its chief deity is Obiko-no-mikoto, with Sukunabikona and Kanayamahime as associated deities; behind it rises the conical sacred mountain of Nangu ("Iga's Little Fuji"), and sacred stones such as the Momotaro Rock stand in the grounds. Its most distinctive feature is the shishi-kagura (lion sacred-dance), said to originate in the Keicho era (1596–1615) and designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Mie Prefecture as the prototype of lion dances throughout Iga. The repertoire includes "Hiromae," "Shiho-kagura," "Godan-kagura," and "Ken no Mai," and the "Hanataka" dance—in which a tengu teases the lion—is known as a humorous piece that draws laughter. The dance is dedicated at the Maizome Festival on January 3, the Maiage Festival on April 17, and the regular festival on December 5. The shrine is open year-round and serves as a base for pilgrimages along the Iga Ninja temple-and-shrine circuit.