The Fundamental Image of the 'Home of Ninja' - The Mibuno Group, Castle Buildings and Kasuga Jinja Shrine - (summary)
Lecturer: Hirohito Ito
Iga Province during the Warring State period is characterized by the absence of a leader in power, generally known as "Sengoku Daimyo (literally, 'feudal lord of warring state'). It is believed that this characteristic was the result of the spiritual feature of the locals who detested major power's ruling over them. The lecture explained the characteristic of the land that cultivated Ninja, setting the Mibuno area (Kawahigashi, Kawanishi and Nishinosawa regions of Iga City) as the subject matter.
The Mibuno area used to be a manor owned by the Kasuga Shrine (Nara City) during the late Heian period (early 12th century). Kasuga Shrine (Kawahigashi area) was the spiritual backbone of the community. Its worshipping hall is an old architecture, which is considered to be built around the Muromachi period (14th to 16th century), and is the Prefecture-designated Tangible Cultural Property.
On the other hand, the area also holds numerous small-sized 50-meter square castle buildings surrounded by earthen walls. Each castle building functioned as a residence of independent and self-armed seigneurs. Though they were very individualistic, they were united when worshipping Kasuga Jinja Shrine in the Kawahigashi region as their spiritual support.
It is believed that the cooperation organization by the people of Iga called "Sokoku Ikki" was brought to a complete ruin by two invasion attacks by ODA Nobunaga (1579 and 1581). However, concurrently with the outbreak of the tug of war between HASHIBA Hideyoshi and SHIBATAKatsuie that followed the death of Nobunaga (1582 to 83), the people of Mibuno established a new organization called "Issho So". In May, 1583, the people of Iga got together and offered a prayer to four shrines in the area, including Kasuga Jinja shrine in Kawahigashi. In their letter of orison was their prayer, wishing for stability and peace in not only the Mibuno area but also the entire Iga province. Here we see the spirit of "Sokoku Ikki" inherited.
Their prayer was answered, for TSUTSUI Junkei, the warlord who was invading the Iga province, withdrew his army and retreated soon after. In September of the same year, the first Kasuga Matsuri festival was held around the area of Mibuno Issho So. The annual spring festival held at Kasuga Jinja shrine today called "Nagaya Matsuri," has its origin in this Kasuga Matsuri, which started at the end of the Warring States period.
The Mibuno Area still holds today many Cultural Heritages that keep remembrance of the scenery from the Warring States period, such as the worship hall of Kasuga Jinja shrine and earthen walls of castle buildings. These sceneries are what people have made effort to preserve throughout the Edo period. Though the record says that Nobunaga had destroyed the Iga province, seeing the scenery of the Mibuno area makes us think that the true winner of the dispute was actually the people of Iga.