Worshipped for many years
Taga Taisha is mentioned in the ”Kojiki” as the location where Izanagi no Ookami lives. According to legend, Izanagi no Ookami descended to earth on Mt. Sugisaka, on the eastern side of Taga Taisha, and later rested in Taga. Because of this legend, the nobles strongly revered this shrine from the Nara period through the Heian period.
During the Kamakura period, the temples and shrines integrated and in 1494, the Fudoin of the Tendai sect was built at Taga Taisha as well. Afterwards, several temple buildings were erected and due to active missionary work, belief in the Taga shrine spread nationwide, as ”Taga Daimyojin”.
”Otaga-san” and Prayers for Longevity
Toyotomi Hideyoshi also had strong beliefs for Taga Shrine. The story of his prayers for his mother’s longevity in 1588 is widely known, and he renovated the main building and also donated about 11.682 square kilometers of land in appreciation when his prayers were fulfilled. As can be seen from Hideyoshi’s strong belief, Taga Taisha is a shrine for longevity which the commoners also shared.
There is a folk song – ”If Visiting Ise, Visit Taga too”- which describes the many visitors who went to pay their respects during the medieval years to the modern era. Even today, the shrine is known to as ”Otagasan”, and the main road that stretches out from the gates to the shrine is lined with souvenir shops.
