2025.04.25
3月末、椿が美しい城南宮へ参拝に行ってまいりました。
京都は風水で守られた地で平安神宮を中心として東西南北にはその方角を守る神社があります。その南の方向を守っているのが城南宮です。
城南宮へは二度目の参拝でしたが、初めて訪れた時の印象が「清潔で綺麗！」でした。大きな敷地ですが、とても清潔に保たれていて、あれだけ樹木があるのに境内はどこもかしこも本当に綺麗なのです。どれだけ清掃に時間を使われているのだろうか？と思ったものです。今回も相変わらずとても綺麗な境内で神様への敬意を感じたのでした。
城南宮は方除（ほうよけ）で有名な神社で、建物工事、引越の無事の祈願、通勤通学の道中や旅行の安全祈願、車の安全運転を祈願が人気です。京都では城南宮の御守ステッカーを貼った車も多く見かけますが、その日もお祓い待ちの車が数台並んでいました。
私は旅行安全を祈願しました。本殿ではちょうど御祈祷が始まり、巫女さんの舞も遠くから拝見出来とてもありがたいことでした。
城南宮は神苑「源氏物語 花の庭」が立派で有名です。150品種400本の椿を楽しむ事ができます。緑の苔の上の椿の花が人気で写真をよく見かける事がありましたが、早咲き、遅咲きがあるので晩秋から新緑の時期まで椿を楽しむ事ができるそうです。
4月末には曲水の宴がこの庭で開催されます。平安時代の装束を身にまとった7名の歌人が和歌を詠み、川上から流れてくる盃のお神酒をいただくそう。読み終わった歌は神様に奉納されるのです。前もっての往復はがきで申し込みが必要です。
引越、旅行などご予定のある方には是非お薦めの神社です。
At the end of March, I went to Jonangu Shrine, which has beautiful camellias.
Kyoto is protected by feng shui, with Heian Shrine at its center and shrines protecting the direction of the east, west, north, south and west. Jonangu Shrine protects the direction to the south.
This was my second visit to Jonangu Shrine, and my impression when I first came was “Clean and beautiful!” I was impressed by the cleanliness of the grounds. It is a large site, but it is kept very clean, and even though there are so many trees, everything in the grounds is really clean. I wondered how much energy they spend on cleaning. The grounds were as clean as ever this time. I felt the great respect to the God.
Jonangu Shrine is famous for Houyoke (Directional Protection), and is popular for prayers for safe building construction, safe moving, and safe driving on the way to and from work and school, safe trips. In Kyoto, you can see many cars with lucky charm stickers of Jonangu Shrine, and there were several cars lined up waiting to be purified that day.
I prayed for travel safety. I was very grateful that I was able to watch the miko dance from a distance as the prayers were just beginning.
Jonan-gu Shrine is famous for its magnificent Japanese garden, “The Tale of Genji Flower Garden,” where 400 camellias of 150 varieties can be seen. The camellias on the green moss are popular and often seen in photographs, but there are also early and late bloomers, so visitors can enjoy camellias from late fall to the fresh green season.
At the end of April, the enet “Kyokusui no utage” ( elegant poetry-composition event) is held in this garden. Seven poets dressed in Heian-period costumes recite waka poems and drink sake from sake cups that flow from upstream. The poems they finish reading are dedicated to the gods. Application must be made in advance by return postcard from March.
This shrine is highly recommended for those who plan to move or travel.
Mikko
