This shrine is said to have been founded during the reign of Emperor Tenmu (672 AD) and is one of the three Gion shrines of Bingo.
The main deities enshrined are Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Kushinada-hime-no-Mikoto, and Hachioji-no-Mikoto, who are believed to grant a wide range of blessings, including protection from misfortune and evil, warding off calamities, good matchmaking, and good fortune.
Susanoo-no-Mikoto, also known as the Heavenly Way God, governs directions and disasters.
Kushinada-hime-no-Mikoto, the goddess of rice ears, is revered for her virtues in matchmaking and protection from misfortune.
Hachioji-no-Mikoto, the eight divine children, are also considered deities of directional and calamity protection.
The auxiliary shrines worship Somin Shorai, the god of epidemic prevention; Hishoma-Kihana-Mame-no-Kami, the god of recovery from illness; and Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning.
In the Edo period, Michizane was enshrined at terakoya (temple schools) nationwide, attracting strong faith for academic success.
The Gion Festival is a ritual held to calm epidemics and natural disasters and to restore peace.
It is based on the faith in the shrine’s deities, Gozu Tennō and Susanoo-no-Mikoto.
Although its exact origin is unknown, it has long been passed down as a sacred event for warding off epidemics, and in the Izumo region in particular, it spread widely as “Gion Faith.”
The festival is characterized by mikoshi processions and lively parades, and similar festivals can be found in various regions.
Bingo Ichinomiya Shrine is regarded as the birthplace of the “Chinowa Ritual” associated with the legend of Somin Shorai.
According to the legend, Somin Shorai, a wanderer from the north, warmly welcomed Susanoo-no-Mikoto during his journey despite his poverty.
Later, when an epidemic spread, only the descendants of Somin, who wore a ring of cogon grass (chinowa) around their waists, were spared.
From this story arose the ritual of passing through the chinowa to ward off epidemics and misfortune, which has now spread throughout Japan.
Within the shrine grounds stands the Tenmangū Honji-dō, a remnant of the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism, where, based on the honji suijaku belief, Sugawara no Michizane is enshrined as the Buddha manifestation of the deity.
In the Edo period, a splendid Honji-dō stood here, housing Buddhist statues and altars.