Mishima Shrine 三島神社

The third shrine to visit in this new year.
Mishima Shrine in Uchiko.
To me, it is the most familiar shrine of all.
My Omiya-mairi was done at this shrine. (Omiyamairi is a Shinto ritual similar to the Christian baptism ceremony. It is conducted when a baby is about one month old. As the baby's grandparents hold him/her, the priest presents the news of the birth to the guardian spirit of the shrine and offers thanks. He then asks the spirit to protect the baby and keep him/her healthy.)
My great grandpa, Mokichi was a farmer as well as a Miya-daiku (carpenter specialized in shrine and temple buildings), so he helped to maintain and fix this shrine. (In Japan, traditionally, Miya-daiku carpenters build shrines and temples without using nails or screws.)
It is located in a deep mountain area.

(Japanese)
新年３回目の初詣。
内子にある三島神社。
私にとって世界で一番馴染みのある神社。
ここで私のお宮参りもしましたし、百姓でもあり宮大工でもあった、私のひいおじいちゃんが修復を手伝ったそうで。
田舎の山の中にあります。

Kadomatsu

A 77-year-old gentleman named Mr. Miyamoto who happened to be there started to talk to me. He said that he knew my great grandpa Mokichi, and Mokichi helped Mr. Miyamoto when he was younger (Mr. Miyamoto was studying to be a carpenter). Mr. Miyamoto made this Kadomatsu (New Year's decoration) and Shimenawa. It was a great surprise to meet someone who knew my great grandpa.

私のひいおじいちゃんにあたる茂吉じいちゃんに、昔大工さんになるために勉強しているときに良くしてもらったと、宮本さんという77歳のおじいさんが話しかけてくれました。そのおじいちゃんが今年この門松やしめ縄を作られたそうです。思いがけないところでひいおじいちゃんのお話が聞けて良かったです。

Shimenawa