Sanjo Tourism Guide

 This shrine was built in 1683, the beginning of the Edo period in honor of the Goddess of the Sun. In that year, nationally Japan had a poor harvest and famine was spreading. To relieve the famine a portable shrine was sent from Ise, and when it arrived, it suddenly stopped moving. Before long, this portable shrine because honored as a protectorate god of rice cultivation.

 Since then, favourable harvests followed, and the stories of the blessing was passed on to following generations. Hence for a brief period of time, there was an increase of pilgrimages from other areas and the reputation of the Masumi shrine even reached as far of Shizuoka prefecture.

 Drawn fully across the ceiling of Masumi Shrine's worshipper's hall is an ink painting of a flying dragon (wyvern). The painting was drawn by Takanobu Ansen, whom is a painter from the Kano school. Born in Edo (currently Tokyo) in 1809, at the age of 36, he painted the sliding doors and did wall paintings for Edo Castle. And once entering the Meiji period, (1868-1912) Ansen worked for the Museum Department for the Board of Education of Japan. Ansen passed away at the age of 84, and according to a label left on a ridgepole the main worshipper's hall was renovated in 1855, hence the current painting may have possibly been retouched during the renovation. It is said that Ansen completed the painting in a single day when he was 47 years of age.

 In anycase the painting on the straight-grained Japanese cedar planks presents a forceful yet nimble and skillful calligraphic design of a wyvern.