Tanekashi-sha

Also worshipped as the deity of finance, children, and wisdom. This ancient shrine was recorded as Tame Jinja in the Register of Shrines of the Engishiki, or Procedures of the Engi Era, a compendium of regulations and laws compiled in the 10th century. The shrine was originally a place where worshippers would pray for a good harvest after receiving rice seeds from the shrine. Over time, it extended into a place of prayer for business seed money and capital, and for couples to pray to be blessed with children. It is the first shrine visited during Sumiyoshi Taisha’s Hattatsu-mairi festival.

During Hattatsu-mairi, worshippers can receive a special negai-no-tane, or “wishing seed.” They can also receive a small envelope containing some money, called otanesen, which they can add to the capital they invest in their business and pray for it to grow. Many small clay dolls can be seen lining the area around the shrine. Called Tanekashi Ningyo, these dolls have been left at the shrine by couples who have been blessed with a child in answer to their prayers.

Tanekashi-sha is also the site of the Kanzanehanshi-sai festival. This takes place prior to the Kinensai, a rite of prayer for a good crop and one of Sumiyoshi Taisha’s grand rituals, which is usually held on March 17 every year. During Kanzanehanshi-sai, a purification rite is performed over the seeds of five types of grains, which are then distributed among agricultural groups.

Deity that bestows seed money.