Hibashiri Jinja Shrine (Inner Shrine)
The soja (a shrine enshrining several gods) of Hinenosho’s Iriyamada Village, in the medieval era it was called Takimiya Shrine. The diary of Kujo Masamoto, the lord of Hinenosho, states that Iriyamada Village’s Noh performance offerings and ceremonies to pray for rain were held at Hibashiri Jinja Shrine, and this shrine is a central component of Hinenosho’s Iriyamada Village.
Based on inscriptions on giboshi, Hibashiri Jinja Shrine was constructed in 1622. However, the structure of the hisashi (the area around the front of the moya) looks rather new, with additions made by later generations accounting for a substantial portion of the area. The moya area incorporates aspects of the Zenshuyo style (Zen sect style), while the kibana (wooden nosings) at the tips of kashiranuki (horizontal head-penetrating tie beams) are in a style developed in the early modern period. Meanwhile, the front kashiranuki show features that were common in this region from early on. While the kibana decorating the tips of kashiranuki, the sculptures on the tsumamen (end panels), and the color patterns that embellish the inner shrine broadly suggest a relationship with Yamato (current Nara Prefecture), they are also regarded as work that showcase the excellent skills of the saishikishi (colorists) of this region.
