# Ichinomiya

Ichinomiya (一宮, also 一の宮 or 一之宮; first shrine) is a Japanese historical term referring to the Shinto shrines with the highest rank in a province. Shrines of lower rank were designated ninomiya (二宮, second), sannomiya (三宮, third), shinomiya (四宮, fourth), and so forth.
The term gave rise to modern place names, such as the city of Ichinomiya, Aichi, named after Masumida Shrine in the former Owari Province.

## Overview

The term "Ichinomiya" literally means "first shrine" and is popularly regarded as the highest ranking shrine in each province. The second ranking shrine is referred to as the "Ninomiya" and third ranking shrine as "Sannomiya", and so on. However, there is no documentary material stipulating on how the shrines in each province are to be ranked, or even when this ranking system was created. As a general rule, all shrines designated "Ichinomiya" are of ancient origin and are listed in the Engishiki records completed in 927AD.
However, the shrine selected is not necessarily the largest, or oldest, in that province, and is not necessarily one of the "Myojin Taisha", which are regarded as the most important shrines. Rather, per the Ritsuryō legal and administrative system established in the Nara period, kokushi were appointed as imperial governors of each province. When the kokushi travelled from Heian-kyo to his local seat at the provincial capital, the first shrine he called upon officially in his province was the "ichinomiya".
As the purpose of this visit was to announce to the local kami of his appointment to office, it was important that this shrine be dedicated to important local deities and to be located close to the provincial capital. Even after the collapse of the Ritsuryō system by the Kamakura period, the ichinomiya continued to enjoy a certain prestige, and often after all vestiges of the provincial capital had fallen into ruins and its exact location lost, the term "Ichinomiya" was often preserved as a place name.
Tachibana Mitsuyoshi, a noted Shinto scholar in the early Edo Period, visited ichinomiya nationwide for 23 years starting 1675, and wrote the record of his travels in a 13 volume account. This began the popularization of pilgrimages by the common populace to these shrines. Under State Shinto, the ichinomiya were not accorded any special status. Many were accorded high ranks under the Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines.

### Rivalry

While there can be only one "first shrine" in each province, several provinces have various rival candidates for the title. This has arisen for various reasons: relocation of the provincial capital can result in a new ichinomiya being appointed. In some cases, the merger of two provinces can result in two ichinomiya for the new province. In other cases, due to the ambiguity in the criteria for ichinomiya designation and due to conflicting ancient records, rival claimants have arisen.

## Shrines

| Region | Province | Shrine | Shrine | Location | Shrine ranking | Shrine ranking | Shrine ranking |
| Region | Province | Name | Kanji | Location | Engishiki | Modern | Beppyo? |
| Kinai | Yamashiro | Kamo Shrine | 賀茂神社 | Kyoto, Kyoto | Myojin Taisha | Kanpei Taisha | Yes |
| Kinai | Yamato | Ōmiwa Shrine | 大神神社 | Sakurai, Nara | Myojin Taisha | Kanpei Taisha | Yes |
| Kinai | Kawachi | Hiraoka Shrine | 枚岡神社 | Higashiosaka, Osaka | Myojin Taisha | Kanpei Taisha | Yes |
| Kinai | Izumi | Ōtori taisha | 大鳥大社 | Sakai, Osaka | Myojin Taisha | Kanpei Taisha | Yes |
| Kinai | Settsu | Sumiyoshi-taisha | 住吉大社 | Osaka, Osaka | Myojin Taisha | Kanpei Taisha | Yes |
| Tōkaidō | Iga | Aekuni Shrine | 敢国神社 | Iga, Mie | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Ise | Tsubaki Grand Shrine | 椿大神社 | Suzuka, Mie | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Ise | Tsubaki Shrine / Nakato Shrine | 都波岐神社・奈加等神社 | Suzuka, Mie | | | No |
| Tōkaidō | Shima | Izawa-no-miya | 伊雑宮 | Shima, Mie | | | No |
| Tōkaidō | Shima | Izawa Shrine | 伊射波神社 | Toba, Mie | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Owari | Masumida Shrine | 真清田神社 | Ichinomiya, Aichi | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Mikawa | Toga Shrine | 砥鹿神社 | Toyokawa, Aichi | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Tōtōmi | Kotonomama Hachiman-gū | 事任八幡宮 | Kakegawa, Shizuoka | | | No |
| Tōkaidō | Tōtōmi | Oguni Shrine | 小国神社 | Shūchi-gun, Shizuoka | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Suruga | Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha | 浅間神社 | Fujinomiya, Shizuoka | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Izu | Mishima Taisha | 三嶋大社 | Mishima, Shizuoka | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Kai | Ichinomiya Asama Shrine (Fuefuki) | 浅間神社 | Fuefuki, Yamanashi | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Kai | Ichinomiya Sengen Shrine | 浅間神社 | Ichikawamisato, Yamanashi | | | No |
| Tōkaidō | Sagami | Samukawa Shrine | 寒川神社 | Kōza-gun, Kanagawa | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Musashi | Hikawa Shrine | 氷川神社 | Ōmiya-ku, Saitama | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Musashi | Ono Shrine | 小野神社 | Tama, Tokyo | | | No |
| Tōkaidō | Awa | Awa Shrine | 安房神社 | Tateyama, Chiba | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Awa | Susaki Shrine | 洲崎神社 | Tateyama, Chiba | | | No |
| Tōkaidō | Kazusa | Tamasaki Shrine | 玉前神社 | Ichinomiya, Chōsei-gun, Chiba | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Shimōsa | Katori Jingū | 香取神宮 | Katori, Chiba | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Hitachi | Kashima Jingū | 鹿島神宮 | Kashima, Ibaraki | | | |
| Tōsandō | Ōmi | Takebe taisha | 建部大社 | Ōtsu, Shiga | | | |
| Tōsandō | Mino | Nangū Taisha | 南宮大社 | Fuwa-gun, Gifu | | | |
| Tōsandō | Hida | Minashi Shrine | 飛騨一宮水無神社 | Takayama, Gifu | | | |
| Tōsandō | Shinano | Suwa-taisha | 諏訪大社 | Suwa, Nagano | | | |
| Tōsandō | Kōzuke | Nukisaki Shrine | 一之宮貫前神社 | Tomioka, Gunma | | | |
| Tōsandō | Shimotsuke | Futarasan Shrine | 日光二荒山神社 | Nikkō, Tochigi | | | |
| Tōsandō | Shimotsuke | Utsunomiya Futarayama Shrine | 宇都宮二荒山神社 | Utsunomiya, Tochigi | | | No |
| Tōsandō | Mutsu | Tsutsukowake Shrine | 都都古和気神社 | Higashishirakawa-gun, Fukushima | | | |
| Tōsandō | Mutsu | Shiogama Shrine | 鹽竈神社 | Shiogama, Miyagi | | | |
| Tōsandō | Dewa | Chōkaisan Ōmonoimi Shrine | 大物忌神社 | Akumi-gun, Yamagata | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Wakasa | Wakasahiko Shrine | 若狭彦神社 | Obama, Fukui | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Echizen | Kehi Shrine | 氣比神宮 | Tsuruga, Fukui | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Kaga | Shirayama Hime Shrine | 白山比咩神社 | Hakusan, Ishikawa | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Noto | Keta Taisha | 気多大社 | Hakui, Ishikawa | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Etchū | Takase Shrine | 高瀬神社 | Nanto, Toyama | | | Formerly |
| Hokurikudō | Etchū | Keta Shrine | 気多神社 | Takaoka, Toyama | | | No |
| Hokurikudō | Etchū | Oyama Shrine | 雄山神社 | Nakaniikawa-gun, Toyama | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Etchū | Imizu Shrine | 射水神社 | Takaoka, Toyama | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Echigo | Yahiko Shrine | 彌彦神社 | Nishikanbara-gun, Niigata | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Echigo | Kota Shrine | 居多神社 | Jōetsu, Niigata | | | No |
| Hokurikudō | Echigo | Amatsu Shrine | 天津神社 | Itoigawa, Niigata | | | No |
| Hokurikudō | Sado | Watatsu Shrine | 度津神社 | Sado, Niigata | | | |
| San'indō | Tamba | Izumo-daijingū | 出雲大神宮 | Kameoka, Kyōto | | | Formerly |
| San'indō | Tango | Kono Shrine | 籠神社 | Miyazu, Kyōto | | | |
| San'indō | Tajima | Izushi Shrine | 出石神社 | Toyooka, Hyōgo | | | |
| San'indō | Tajima | Awaga Shrine | 粟鹿神社 | Asago, Hyōgo | | | No |
| San'indō | Inaba | Ube shrine | 宇倍神社 | Tottori, Tottori | | | |
| San'indō | Hōki | Shitori Shrine | 倭文神社 | Tottori | | | |
| San'indō | Izumo | Izumo-taisha | 出雲大社 | Izumo, Shimane | | | |
| San'indō | Iwami | Mononobe Shrine | 物部神社 | Ōda, Shimane | | | |
| San'indō | Oki | Mizuwakasu Shrine | 水若酢神社 | Oki-gun, Shimane | | | Yes |
| San'indō | Oki | Yurahime Shrine [ja; simple] | 由良比女神社 | Oki-gun, Shimane | | | No |
| San'yōdō | Harima | Iwa Shrine | 伊和神社 | Shisō, Hyōgo | | | |
| San'yōdō | Mimasaka | Nakayama Shrine | 中山神社 | Tsuyama, Okayama | | | |
| San'yōdō | Bizen | Kibitsuhiko Shrine | 吉備津彦神社 | Okayama, Okayama | | | |
| San'yōdō | Bitchū | Kibitsu Shrine | 吉備津神社 | Okayama, Okayama | | | |
| San'yōdō | Bingo | Kibitsu Shrine | 吉備津神社 | Fukuyama, Hiroshima | | | |
| San'yōdō | Aki | Itsukushima Shrine | 厳島神社 | Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima | | | |
| San'yōdō | Suō | Tamanooya Shrine | 玉祖神社 | Hōfu, Yamaguchi | | | No |
| San'yōdō | Nagato | Sumiyoshi Shrine | 住吉神社 | Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi | | | |
| Nankaidō | Kii | Hinokuma Jingū | 日前神宮・國懸神宮 | Wakayama, Wakayama | | | |
| Nankaidō | Kii | Niutsuhime Shrine | 丹生都比売神社 | Katsuragi, Wakayama | | | |
| Nankaidō | Kii | Itakiso Shrine | 伊太祁曽神社 | Wakayama, Wakayama | | | |
| Nankaidō | Awaji | Izanagi Jingū | 伊弉諾神宮 | Awaji, Hyōgo | | | |
| Nankaidō | Awa | Ōasahiko Shrine | 大麻比古神社 | Naruto, Tokushima | | | |
| Nankaidō | Awa | Ichinomiya Shrine | 一宮神社 | Tokushima, Tokushima | | | No |
| Nankaidō | Sanuki | Tamura Shrine | 田村神社 | Takamatsu, Kagawa | | | |
| Nankaidō | Iyo | Ōyamazumi Shrine | 大山祇神社 | Imabari, Ehime | | | |
| Nankaidō | Tosa | Tosa Shrine | 土佐神社 | Kōchi, Kōchi | | | |
| Saikaidō | Chikuzen | Sumiyoshi Shrine | 住吉神社 | Fukuoka, Fukuoka | | | |
| Saikaidō | Chikuzen | Hakozaki Shrine | 筥崎宮 | Fukuoka, Fukuoka | | | |
| Saikaidō | Chikugo | Kōra taisha | 高良大社 | Kurume, Fukuoka | | | |
| Saikaidō | Buzen | Usa Jingū | 宇佐神宮 | Usa, Ōita | | | |
| Saikaidō | Bungo | Sasamuta Shrine | 西寒多神社 | Ōita, Ōita | | | |
| Saikaidō | Bungo | Yusuhara Hachiman-gū | 柞原八幡宮 | Ōita, Ōita | | | |
| Saikaidō | Hizen | Yodohime Shrine [simple] | 河上神社 | Saga, Saga | | | No |
| Saikaidō | Hizen | Chikuri Hachiman-gū | 千栗八幡宮 | Miyaki, Saga | | | |
| Saikaidō | Higo | Aso Shrine | 阿蘇神社 | Aso, Kumamoto | | | |
| Saikaidō | Hyūga | Tsuno Shrine | 都農神社 | Tsuno, Miyazaki | | | |
| Saikaidō | Ōsumi | Kagoshima Shrine | 鹿児島神宮 | Kirishima, Kagoshima | | | |
| Saikaidō | Satsuma | Hirakiki Shrine | 枚聞神社 | Ibusuki, Kagoshima | | | |
| Saikaidō | Satsuma | Nitta Shrine | 新田八幡宮 | Satasumasendai, Kagoshima | | | |
| Saikaidō | Iki | Amanotanagao Shrine [ja; simple] | 天手長男神社 | Iki, Nagasaki | | | No |
| Saikaidō | Tsushima | Kaijin Shrine | 海神神社 | Tsushima, Nagasaki | | | |

## Ninomiya

| Region | Province | Shrine | Shrine | Location | Shrine ranking | Shrine ranking | Shrine ranking |
| Region | Province | Name | Kanji | Location | Engishiki | Modern | Beppyo? |
| Kinai | Izumi | Izumi Anashi Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Ise | Tado Taisha | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Owari | Ōagata Shrine | | | | | Yes |
| Tōkaidō | Mikawa | Chiryu Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Tōtōmi | Mononobe Shrine (Kashiwazaki City) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Tōtōmi | Rokuon Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Suruga | Toyosumi Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Izu | Asama Shrine (Mishima City) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Kai | Miwa Shrine (Fuefuki City) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Sagami | Kawakagi Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Musashi | Kanasana Shrine | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Musashi | Ninomiya Shrine (Akiruno City) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Kazusa | Tachibana Shrine (Mobara City) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Shimōsa | Tamazaki Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Shimōsa | Ninomiya Shrine (Funabashi City) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Hitachi | Shizumi Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōsandō | Ōmi | Hiyoshi Taisha | | | | | Yes |
| Tōsandō | Mino | Ibuki Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōsandō | Shinano | Ono Shrine & Yahiko Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōsandō | Kōzuke | Ninomiya Akagi Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōsandō | Mutsu | Isasumi Shrine | | | | | |
| Tōsandō | Dewa | Kinowa Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Echizen | Tsurugi Shrine [ja; simple] | | | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Kaga | Sugo Ishibe Shrine [ja; simple] | | | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Noto | Isurugi Hiko Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| San'indō | Hōki | Ōgamiyama Shrine | | | | | |
| San'indō | Izumo | Sada Shrine | | | | | |
| San'yōdō | Aki | Hayatani Shrine | | | | | |
| Nankaidō | Awaji | Yamato Okunitama Shrine [simple] | | | | | |
| Saikaidō | Higo | Kosa Shrine [ja] | | | | | |

### Sannomiya

| Region | Province | Shrine | Shrine | Location | Shrine ranking | Shrine ranking | Shrine ranking |
| Region | Province | Name | Kanji | Location | Engishiki | Modern | Beppyo? |
| Kinai | Izumi | Hijiri Shrine (Izumi City) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Owari | Atsuta Jingu | | | | | Yes |
| Tōkaidō | Mikawa | Sanage Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Suruga | Miho Shrine (Shizuoka) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Izu | Sengen Shrine (Mishima City) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Kai | Tamamoro Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Sagami | Hibita Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōkaidō | Hitachi | Yoshida Shrine (Mito City) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōsandō | Ōmi | Taga-taisha | | | | | Yes |
| Tōsandō | Mino | Tagi Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōsandō | Kōzuke | Sannomiya Shrine (Yoshioka Town) [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōsandō | Shimotsuke | Murahi Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Tōsandō | Dewa | Omoimi Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Hokurikudō | Echigo | Hakkai Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| San'indō | Tajima | Mizutani Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| San'yōdō | Suō | Nikabe Shrine [ja] | | | | | |
| Saikaidō | Hizen | Tenzan Shrine [ja] | | | | | |

### Shinomiya

* Chichibu Shrine - Musashi Province
* Ishimaki Shrine [ja] - Mikawa Province
* Kaina Shrine [ja] - Kai Province, also Soja shrine of the province
* Sakitori Shrine [ja] - Sagami Province
* Tsugawa Shrine [ja] - Izumi Province

### Gonomiya

* Hine Shrine [ja] - Izumi Province
* Wakaikaho Shrine [ja] - Kōzuke Province