By ando 
Do you know of Minashi jinja, located in Tominoho, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, an area formerly known as Mugi District? This jinja, said to have enshrined a divided spirit (bunrei) from the renowned Hida Ichinomiya Minashi jinja in Takayama City, the Ichinomiya (chief shrine) of Hida Province, holds many mysteries and legends within its tranquil atmosphere.
Basic Information
Name: Suimu jinja (水無神社), commonly known as Minashi jinja
Location: 2964 Iwausudo, Tominoho, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture
Main kami enshrined: Takateruhime-no-mikoto
Additional kami enshrined: Ohtoshi-no-kami
Founded: Believed to be in 775 (Hoki 5)
The Legend of “Tarukiri” Shrouded in Mist
This jinja holds a curious tale that once led to its name being changed.
It is said that in Bun’an 1 (1444), when the lord of the castle at the time, the Nagai clan, visited to worship, a deep mist enveloped the entire area of “Omori” where the shrine building stands, and he was deeply moved by the fantastical scene. Records indicate that for a period, the jinja’s name was changed to “Tarukiri” (垂霧, literally “hanging mist”) due to this event. Even today, on mornings after rain, mist sometimes descends from the mountains, evoking the mysterious scene of that time.
“Minashi” but a “kami of water”?
The name “Minashi” (水無), often misunderstood to mean “no water,” actually originates from “Mizunushi” (水主), meaning a kami that governs water sources.
At the main Hida Ichinomiya Minashi jinja, one origin story suggests that the Miya River flowing in front of the jinja becomes “fukuryusui” (subsurface flow) where water runs beneath sand and gravel, causing the surface water to disappear, hence it was called “Minashigawa” (Minashi River). It is believed that when the kami from Hida was transferred to Seki’s Minashi jinja, it carried with it this “memory of water.” For a long time, it has been deeply worshipped as a kami of agriculture and a bringer of bountiful harvests.
The “Guardian Kami of the North” Protected by the Owari Tokugawa Family
During the Edo period, this area was part of the Owari domain. Seki’s Minashi jinja was deeply revered by successive lords of the domain as the “guardian kami of the north for the Owari clan (Bishū-ke).”
However, amidst the turmoil of the Meiji Restoration, many valuable ancient documents, spanning dozens of volumes, and official certifications (“osumitsuki”) belonging to the jinja were lost in a fire. Consequently, there are still many gaps in its detailed history, which only adds to the mysterious allure of this jinja.
A Must-See for Anime Fans! Spiritual Connection to “Hyōka” and “Your Name.”
While not a direct filming location, this jinja is a spot that anime fans should not overlook.
The main Hida Ichinomiya Minashi jinja is said to be the model for “Arakusu jinja” which appears in “The Doll that Took a Detour,” the final episode of the popular anime “Hyōka,” and also one of the models for the home of Mitsuha Miyamizu, the heroine of the movie “Your Name.”
Seki’s Minashi jinja can be considered a “sibling” to the Hida Ichinomiya, having officially received a bunrei (divided spirit) from it. While the sacred site in Takayama bustles with many fans, the Minashi jinja here in Tominoho, despite enshrining the same kami, offers the charm of an “off-the-beaten-path sacred site” that has not been commercialized for tourism. It is a spiritual spot known to those in the know, sometimes visited by fans who, after completing their pilgrimage to the sacred sites in Hida, come here to follow the “footsteps” of that kami.
Highlights and Untold Stories Within the Grounds
Ascending the stairs of the sando (approach path) reveals an astonishingly spacious and pure precinct before you.
The Mystery of the Stone Lanterns: Within the grounds, an old stone lantern, believed to date back to Genroku 11 (1698), remains, attesting to the deep faith that has continued since the Edo period.
The Tradition of Mikoshi: During the annual festival (reisai), people from the three villages of Kaminobo, Nakanobo, and Tominoho gather for a solemn procession of the mikoshi (portable shrine), performed in ancient style. This is also evidence that this entire region once formed a single large area of worship.
Minashi jinja, embraced by Seki City’s rich nature. Inheriting the legends of Hida while possessing its own “memory of mist,” this place is ideal for forgetting the hustle and bustle of daily life and reflecting on oneself.
Related Links / References
[1] Minashi jinja, standing in the tranquility of Tominoho, Seki City – https://jinjanews.com/ja/%E9%96%A2%E5%B8%82%E5%AF%8C%E4%B9%8B%E4%BF%9D%E3%81%AE%E9%9D%99%E5%AF%82%E3%81%AB%E4%BD%8F%E3%82%80%E3%80%81%E6%B0%B4%E7%84%A1%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE/
[2] godma – Hida Ichinomiya Minashi jinja – https://minashijinjya.or.jp/god-ma.html
[3] Hida Ichinomiya Minashi jinja – Digital Archive Institute – Gifu Women’s University – https://digitalarchiveproject.jp/information/%E9%A3%9B%E9%A8%B3%E4%B8%80%E5%AE%AE%E6%B0%B4%E7%84%A1%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE/
[4] Minashi jinja – Wikipedia – https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B0%B4%E7%84%A1%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE
[5] What is Minashi jinja? Meaning and Usage – Kotobank – https://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%B0%B4%E7%84%A1%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE-872309
[6] Minashi jinja details – http://www.gifu-jinjacho.jp/syosai.php?shrno=2630
[7] Minashi jinja (Seki City) – Wikipedia – https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B0%B4%E7%84%A1%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE_(%E9%96%A2%E5%B8%82)
[8] Hida Ichinomiya Minashi jinja Annual Festival – Digital Archive Institute – Gifu Women’s University – https://digitalarchiveproject.jp/press/%E6%B0%B4%E7%84%A1%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE%E4%BE%8B%E7%A5%AD/
[9] Hida Province Ichinomiya Hida Ichinomiya Minashi jinja (Minashi jinja) – Ichinomiya-cho, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture | Bodhisvaha – https://yossy.main.jp/post-34336-34336.html
[10] Origin and Deities – https://miyamachikyo.jp/monogatari/pg256.html
[11] home – Hida Ichinomiya Minashi jinja – https://minashijinjya.or.jp/
[12] Minashi jinja – https://genbu.net/data/hida/minasi_title.htm
[13] Hida Ichinomiya Minashi jinja | Nippon Tabi Magazine – https://tabi-mag.jp/gi0173/