Lifestyles and Traditions - Shrines
According to the shrine's historical records, during the reign of the 32nd emperor, Emperor Yōmei, the deity appeared from the sea, south of Niburi, and was enshrined there for 59 years. Then during the reign of Emperor Kōtoku, the 37th emperor, the deity appeared again in the 8th month of the 4th year of Hakuchi, on a rock in the east of Niburi.
The deity was worshiped by the early inhabitants of Yura-go of Chibu Province, and in Shoku Nihon Koki (797), the deity, Amasashihiko-no-mikoto, was given lower junior fifth rank in the 2nd month of Jōwa 15th year. In Engishiki, it is recorded as Amasashihiko-no-mikoto Shrine of a lower rank among the seven shrines in Chibu Province, and in the local list of deities, the deity was of junior first rank.
It is not clear what happened in the Middle Ages, but in the 16th year of Genroku era in the early modern period, there was a record of the shrine in the list of deities in Dōzen area, as "Amasashihiko-no-mikoto Shrine, other name Ōnamuchi, Ichinomiya Daimyōjin of Chibu Village", and it is documented as "Ichinomiya Daimyōjin" in that list. Since Yurahime Shrine, the grand shrine listed in Engishiki, was the Ichinomiya (the highest ranking shrine of a province) of Dōzen area, it is considered that Amasashihiko-no-mikoto Shrine was the Ichinomiya of Chibu Village.
The shrine was originally located in Niburi, as recorded in the shrine's book of origin, but was relocated to its current location in 1659. On the wooden tag commemorating the foundation of the shrine, it also says "2nd year of the Manji Era (1659) 10th month Auspicious Day".
