令和捌年 生田神社「生田祭」 Ikuta Festival of Ikuta Jinja Shrine 2026

令和捌年　生田神社「生田祭」

行列の様子
View of festival parade

 

令和捌年（2026年）4月15日は兵庫県神戸市中央区にある生田神社に「生田祭」の撮影に行きました。

JR三ノ宮駅・阪急三宮駅から約徒歩5分　程度の場所に神社があります。

修祓式
Shubatsu Ritual

 

公式ホームページによれば～（以下引用）神功皇后元年（西暦201年）三韓外征の帰途、今の神戸港にて船が進まなくなったために神占を行ったところ、稚日女尊が現れ、「私は活田長峡国に居りたい」と申されたので、海上五十狭茅（うながみのいさち）という者を神主として祀られた。～とあります。

主祭神である稚日女尊（わかひるめのみこと）は神代の昔、機殿で神服を織っておられたことから、国民の生活の豊になる様、一般の方は基より各企業、団体様の更なる繁栄とご健康また諸々の災いがなく家庭生活をお守り下さるご神徳があり広く信仰されております。

 

今回撮影いたしました「生田祭例祭並びに氏子奉幣祭」は生田神社の祭典の中でも最も重要な祭典で、氏子地域神戸の安全と繁栄を願う祭典とのことです。私は生田神社　崇敬会に入らせていただいており、この度ご案内をいただき初めて参列いたしました。

 

4月15日は曇りのち雨の天気予報でした。私は午前9時ごろに神社に到着して集合場所の生田神社会館でお祓いを済ませて、会館から行列が楼門を通過して拝殿前で集合写真を撮影するまでは無事雨は降りませんでした。

行列の様子
View of festival parade

神事が進み女人舞楽 原笙会による舞楽「陪臚」が奉納されました。この舞楽は「戦の陣形を象ったマスゲームのようなスケールの大きい舞踊」とのことで素晴らしい舞を間近で撮影させていただきました。

本殿神事 本殿神事
Shinto Ritual in Main Shrine

生田祭は初めての経験となりましたが、神社関係者、崇敬者がとても和やかな雰囲気で私にも優しくとても親切に接してくださり、終始感動していました。今回、参列させていただき稚日女尊様のご神徳の素晴らしさが身をもって実感できました。

奉納舞楽「陪臚」
Court dance and music "Bairo"

 

生田神社、崇敬者ご一同、そして、参加者の皆様ありがとうございました。

 

撮影機材:

CANON EOS R6、EOS 5D Mark III

CANON EF 16-35mm F4.0L IS USM、EF 24-105mm F4.0L IS USM

編集ソフトウェア: Adwaa Silkypix Developer Studio Pro 11

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掲載内容の更新日2025年04月21日  

 

 

Ikuta Festival of Ikuta Jinja Shrine 2026

修祓式
Shubatsu Ritual

 

It went to photographing of “Ikuta Festival " to Ikuta Jinja Shrine located at the Hyogo Prefecture Kobe City at the 15 April 2026, and that is located about 5 minutes from JR and Hankyu Railway Sannomiya station.

From the official homepage (Quoted below) In the first year of Empress Jingu's reign (201 AD), on her return from an expedition to the Three Kingdoms of Korea, her ship became stuck in what is now Kobe Port. When she consulted the Shinto gods, Wakahirume no mikoto appeared and there was a divine message, "I would like to stay in Ikuta Nagao no kuni."  Therefore, a man named Unagami-no-Isachi was appointed as the chief priest and enshrined there.

行列の様子
View of festival parade

行列の様子
View of festival parade

They say that the principal deity, Wakahirume no mikoto, is believed to have woven sacred garments in the weaving workshop in ancient times. She is widely worshipped for her divine virtues, which include enriching the lives of the people, bringing further prosperity to individuals, businesses, and organizations, as well as protecting their health, and safeguarding family life from various calamities.

This time, I photographed that the "Ikuta Festival and Shinto Ritual Offering by Local Parishioners” that is the most important festival among the festivals of Ikuta Shrine, and it is a festival to pray for the safety and prosperity of the Kobe area, where the shrine's parishioners reside. I am a member of the Ikuta Shrine Parishioner veneration society, and I was invited to attend this Shinto Ritual for the first time.

The weather forecast for the day was cloudy followed by rain, so I arrived at the shrine around 9:00 AM and I was exchanging greetings. The purification ritual was held at th

本殿神事 本殿神事
Shinto Ritual in Main Shrine

e Ikuta Shrine Hall as the meeting place, and thankfully, it didn't rain until the parade procession passed through the main gate and a group photos was taken in front of the main shrine.

At the time the Shinto ritual progressed, the Japanese Court Dance group Harashokai performed the Court dance and music "Bairo." They say that this dance as "a large-scale dance resembling a mass game depicting battle formation," and I was fortunate enough to photograph this wonderful performance up close.

奉納舞楽「陪臚」
Court dance and music "Bairo"

This was my first experience at the Ikuta Festival, and I was deeply moved by the warm and friendly atmosphere by the shrine officials and worshippers, who treated me with great kindness and consideration. I felt that by participated to this festival, I was experienced the wonderful divine virtues of Wakahirume no mikoto.

I thank you for everyone of this festival.

 

Equipment: CANON EOS R6, EOS 5D Mark III

CANON EF 16-35mmF 4.0L IS USM, EF 24-105mm F4.0L IS USM

Software: Adwaa Silkypix Developer Studio Pro 11

 

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This page was last modified: April 21, 2025.