Omurosha Shrine (御室社)

Where?
Omurosha is located at 5-way intersection in Kizaki. This area sits on the Omiya Plateau, sandwiched between the Arakawa and Shiba rivers. In medieval times, it was part of Kisaki Township and belonged to the Kisaki Domain during the Edo period. The “Densho” (田園簿) created in Keian 2-3 (1649-1650) mentions Kisaki Village, but in the land survey of Genroku 3 (1690), it appears as Shimokisaki (下木崎) Village, indicating that it was likely divided into separate villages during that time.

History of Omurosha
The exact founding of our shrine is unclear, but during the Edo period, it was known as Mitsumuro Myojinsha (三室明神社). In the neighboring Mitsumuro area to the east, there is Hikawa Nyonin Taijin Shrine (氷川女体社), which is said to have an ancient founding and is referred to as the female counterpart to the Hikawa Shrine in Omiya (大宮氷川神社). The Daibannya Sutra (大般若経), copied after the year Shokei 2 (1333), is passed down in the same shrine, and within it, the characters “Omuro Daimeishin” and “Omuro Nyonintai” frequently appear. Since both shrines worship the same deity, Kiinadahime (奇稲田姫), it is believed that Omurosha enshrined the Hikawa Nyonin Taijin Shrine.

In the section about Shimokisaki Village in the “Fudoki Kō” (geographical records), it is stated, “Mitsumuro Myojin Shrine serves as the guardian deity of the neighboring Ryouke Village.” The exact circumstances of becoming the guardian deity of the neighboring Ryouke Village are unclear, but the existing temizuya (stone basin for ritual purification) within our shrine precincts, dated to Tenpo 2 (1831), bears the names of residents from Shimokisaki Village, as well as those from Ryouke Village and Konayama-zaki in Mitsumuro Village. Incidentally, our village also revered the Takahō Myojin Shrine (currently Adachi Shrine) in Kamikisaki Village as its guardian deity, along with four other neighboring villages.

In the Meiji era, our shrine was renamed Goshiki Shrine and became a village shrine.