Guardian Deity of Mount Bandai
Bandai Jinja Shrine, dedicated to the sacred Mount Bandai, has been part of Enichiji Temple's grounds since its establishment in 807 AD, serving as the temple's guardian shrine. In 1872, a fire destroyed the shrine hall (Yakushidō), and the deity was relocated to the Nioh gate, which survived the fire. The shrine was designated a village shrine (gōsha) in 1886. The shrine hall was rebuilt in 1923 and moved to its current location in 2000.
The "Funebiki Matsuri" or "Boat Pulling Festival," is the annual festival of Bandai Jinja Shrine, and is a ritual to predict the year's harvest. Participants pull a wooden boat called an iibune with ropes, competing in three rounds. If the east side wins, it signifies a bountiful harvest; if the west side wins, it indicates an increase in rice prices. On the same day, three sacred dances are performed: "Sakaki no Mai" (Sakaki Dance), "Yumi no Mai" (Bow Dance), and "Tachi no Mai" (Sword Dance). This traditional event, preserving historical practices, was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Fukushima Prefecture in 2005.
The worship hall of Bandai Jinja Shrine is a single-story wooden structure with an irimoya roof covered with copper plates. It measures 6 ken (approximately 10.8 meters) in length and 1.5 ken (approximately 2.7 meters) in width. The exterior walls are board-clad true walls. The main hall is a kasuga-zukuri style structure with a copper plate roof. The enshrined deities are Ōyamatsumi-no-Mikoto and Hanayamahime-no-Mikoto.
