Lifestyles and Traditions - Shrines
Together with Yurahime Shrine and Mizuwakasu-mikoto Shrine, Uzuka-mikoto Shrine was listed as an imperial shrine in 842, as recorded in Shoku Nihon Koki. Uzuka-mikoto Shrine is one of the earliest shrines in Oki to appear in the historical documents compiled by the central government. According to Engishiki completed in the Heian Period, it is listed as one of the myojin taisha shrines together with Mizuwakasu-mikoto Shrine and Ise-mikoto Shrine on Dōgo and Yurahime Shrine on Nishinoshima Island.
It is also an ancient shrine with a long and distinguished history, as the deity is listed as a deity of junior first rank in the local list of deities, Oki-koku Jinmyocho. Uzuka-no-mikoto competed with Ōyamatsumi-no-mikoto of Nishinoshima Island for Hinamaji-hime-no-mikoto, the female deity of Nishinoshims Island. The two male deities competed by throwing rocks from their own island to the other island to show their strength. Uzuka-no-mikoto won and it is said he married the female deity. Their child, Yanai-hime-no-mikoto, also known as Nagira-bime of Toyoda, is enshrined in Nagirahime Shrine.
