2025.04.10

Volcanic Island Protected by the Gods - Izu Oshima - (7) Socho Shrine

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Izu Oshima is a place where nature and legends intersect since ancient times. At its heart is a volcanic island with lava flows and lush nature. This time, we will visit the mysterious spot of Izu Oshima, "Socho Shrine". Home to the gods who keep the island's history, this place has been the site of numerous myths and heroic legends since ancient times.

This shrine was dedicated to the Minamoto Dynasty, who excelled in military prowess, and there are many testimonies of his rule over this area. In the precincts of the shrine, where there is a strangely pleasant silence, you can feel the energy of the volcano and have a sense of foreboding that an unknown adventure is about to begin.

The morning shrine holds the key to unraveling the mysteries of history that unfold one after another. Let's delve deeper into the epic story behind it in the next chapter.

Article Contents

The Fragrance of the Ryukyu Kingdom
- Vermilion specially allowed in the morning ~Red Gate~
  - 【Socho Shrine】

The Fragrance of the Ryukyu Kingdom

Socho Shrine

Motomachi Port is one of the gateway ports of Oshima. Not far from there is the Kodo Shrine.

It is a shrine dedicated to the Minamoto Dynasty.

Speaking of Minamoto no Tomo, he was the eighth son of Minamoto Yoshi, *1 also known as Chinzai Hachiro, and made a name for himself as a master of martial archery, but *2 He was defeated and captured by Emperor Sutoku in the Hogen Rebellion, and was sent to Oshima.

*1 Chinsai Hachiro: Before being distributed to Oshima, he pacified Kyushu, west of the capital, so he was also called Chinsai Hachiro.

*2 Hogen Rebellion: A political upheaval that led to an armed clash between the Imperial Court and Emperor Sutoku at the end of the Heian Period, when the Imperial Court was divided into Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Emperor Sutoku due to the issue of succession to the imperial throne and the internal strife of the Setseki family. Emperor Sutoku was defeated, and Emperor Sutoku was sent to Sanuki. The use of the samurai to resolve this internal conflict of the noble family increased the presence of the samurai, which was one of the triggers that led to the samurai regime that later lasted about 700 years.

Vermilion specially allowed in the morning ~Red Gate~

The vermilion gate that was specially allowed to be used by the Emperor is called the "Red Gate". This is the ruins of the Genwei Morning Pavilion, which is now used as a hotel.

When you enter the Red Gate, you will be greeted by a pair of Okinawan Shisa on your right. This area, where banyan trees grow and there is a shrine, has the atmosphere of Okinawa itself.

And here is the Socho Shrine.

When you step into this section with the atmosphere of Okinawa itself, you will feel a strange feeling as if you are immersed in another world. Time seems to stand still. (The secret of this shrine will be told in detail in the e-mail magazine.) ）

【Approach】

【Socho Shrine】

There was also the grave of Oni Yasha, who was a vassal.

Speaking of the Dynasty, Qu Ting Maqin's "Camellia Theory Bow Zhang Moon" is famous. Speaking of Qutei Makoto, many people may remember "Satomi Eight Dogs", but the overwhelmingly popular in the Edo period was this "Tsubaki Theory Bow Zhang Tsuki". It became a career work as a historical novel of Maqin. After that, "Satomi Eight Dogs" was written. The rare of the rare theory is changed to camellia, and the theory can be read as "chinzei yumi harizuki" because it can also be read as a zeal. Of course, this chinzei was a name for the morning because it was called Chinzai Hachiro.

[Tsubaki Theory Bow Zhang Moon Katsushika Hokusai Illustration]

According to history, because the Wei Dynasty extended its power to other islands, the warships of the Imperial Court attacked Oshima to defeat the Wei Dynasty, and the Wei Dynasty met and defeated them, but they did not fight against them, and finally killed themselves. However, according to this "Tsubaki Theory of the Bow of the Moon", the Socho escaped danger at the last minute and reached the Ryukyu Kingdom, and the son of the Ryukyu Dynasty, Sutemaru, became the first king of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

In addition, the official history of the Ryukyu Kingdom*3 "Chuzan Seikan" also describes the historical fact that "Minamoto Hachiro (Chinsai Hachiro) fled to Ryukyu and his son became the founder of the Ryukyu royal family, Sunten."

In the literature of Kenninji Temple in Kyoto, which was built by the Kamakura shogunate, it is written that "the Minamoto dynasty crossed over to the Ryukyus and became the founding lord of the country."

*3 Nakayama Sekan: The first canonical history of the Ryukyu Kingdom written under Satsuma rule. Compiled by Haji Asahihide by royal decree. Established in 1650.

He married the daughter of Fujii Saburo Tadashige, who was the governor of the island, and had a child. The descendants of the Fujii family are the current owners of the Akamon Hotel.

There is a sense of tension and at the same time, there is a very calm air, so the morning shrine is also a shrine that you should definitely visit when you visit Oshima.

A very readable and modern novelization of "Camellia Theory Bow Zhang Tsuki". It is a very interesting story.

The story written by Qutei Makoto after observing the Ten Thousand Scrolls of Books seems to contain a great deal of historical facts, and details of the relationship between Oshima and the Ryukyu Dynasty and the Ryukyu Kingdom.

"Led by a beautiful crane, the country of Higo arrives at the palace of Aso, where he meets the woman who will become his beloved wife. However, a harsh fate ...... lead the ill-fated hero to Izu Oshima, Shikoku, and Ryukyu on an even more eventful adventure. The biggest bestseller of the Edo period, depicted on a grand scale, will be revived in the present day in a more gorgeous and exhilarating way!

I want to read it together