The Samurai Princess and Oyamazumi Shrine
Omishima is one of the many islands located between Hiroshima and Ehime. Littered with camphor and citrus trees, the island is usually only a brief pit stop for tourists and cyclists making their way along the Shimanami Kaido. While it does have lovely beaches and cute cafes, it would be remiss to skip over the gem that is Oyamazumi Jinja.
Holding the title of being the oldest shrine of the Chūgoku region, it is located just a ways into town not far from the bike paths and walking trails of Mt. Washigatou. If you are a fan of medieval Japanese history, weaponry or simply looking for a place to pass an hour or two, this shrine has quite a few hidden surprises, namely that it was once home to one of Japan’s Samurai princesses.
Omishima sits in a rather strategic trade location, historically bringing the island and the people that controlled it a fair amount of power and wealth. Shinto priests can marry and have children unlike their Buddhist counterparts. Priest families were charged with managing the priesthood,caring for the shrine and tending to the sacred grove of camphor trees (some of which are still there today and are up to 3000 years old). You will find one such tree at the heart of the shrine complex along with statues of Tsuruhime, our aforementioned princess.
Tsuruhime was born in 1526 as the daughter of the chief priest of Oyamazumi Jinja. The 1500s are better known for the Warring States period, and Tsuruhime’s life was very much shaped by the turbulence it brought. During her time the Ochi clan was expanding their territory and had attacked Omishima. Her two brothers were killed in battle and in 1541 her father also died after succumbing to illness. Tsuruhime not only appointed herself as head priestess and chief in charge, but she also stated that she was the avatar of one of the enshrined deities.
While there are records of the female samurai, these records are scarce and often subject to the same grandiose embellishments and cultural identity shaping usually ascribed to female historical figures. For instance, she is stated as having single handedly boarded the enemy Ochi clan vessel and slayed their leader. Some records say she moved to Imabari to live peacefully as a nun for the rest of her life following the end of the wars, while later texts insist she committed suicide after the untimely death of her fiance. The point is, it is difficult to pin down her story. The earliest compilations of her life outside of legend and historical asides comes in 1966, when she is referred to by Mishima Yasukiyo as the Setouchi Joan of Arc. What we can surmise about her from these limited accounts is that she was trained by her father in the typical martial styles of the time and that it was she who led the people of Omishima to victory against the Ochi clan.
To gain a better sense of at least one aspect of Tsuruhime’s life, one could check out the museum near the temple grounds. It is home to what many call the national treasures of Japanese Samurai weaponry and some of the swords in the museum weigh up to 5kg and are up to 180 cm in length. Tsuruhime would have been proficient in the fighting styles of the times.
It is important to note however that while swords are the weapon most associated with samurai, they would have only been used as a last resort. Long distance fighting and strategy was favored instead, and most samurai chose archery and later guns to fight their battles. Swords were your last option if it came down to melee combat. The museum hosts a number of weapons from spears, halberds and even showcases arrows from various periods.
As you leave the museum you will be greeted by several statues of Tsuruhime, all of which have small offerings of money at the base from past visitors hoping that she will bring their wishes to fruition. The statues are placed along the flower trail and are most beautiful in spring and summer.
If you have a spare weekend and would like to tread the path of a samurai princess who carved her name into history books and legends, you should definitely make a stop at Oyamazumi Jinja.
