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(Enlarged photo)



The official name of the Geku is Toyoukedaijingu. The kami of the Geku is Toyouke Omikami, who is responsible for the food of Amaterasu Omikami. She is also the kami for food, clothing, and shelter. The Geku was founded about 1500 years ago. The 21th Emperor Yuryaku had a dream of Amaterasu Omikami in which the deity revealed that she could not properly secure her meals and therefore asked the Emperor to bring Toyouke Omikami from Tanba (currently, northern part of Kyoto prefecture) to take care of her food. After awaking from the dream, the Emperor Yuryaku took to heart what he had heard from Amaterasu Omikami, built a magnificent dwelling place and brought Toyouke Omikami here. This was the founding of the Geku. Since then, for about 1500 years, Toyouke Omikami has been serving the meals to Amaterasu Omikami, in what is called the Higoto-Asayu-Omikesai, a ceremony distinctive to the Geku. Throughout the year, the rites at the Geku are conducted in the same way as at the Naiku.
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(Enlarged photo) 		Daiichi-torii-guchi Sando, Main Pilgrimage Path to Geku
Daiichi-torii-guchi Sando is served as the main pilgrimage path to Geku, of which entrance the bridge is called Hiyokebashi. Beyond this bridge, you can see the Temizusha (font for ablution) on the left.
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(Enlarged photo) 		Font for ablution (Temizusha)
When worshiping at a Shinto sanctuary, people are requested to wash their hands and rinse their mouths. This ablution is a simplified procedure to cleans their minds and bodies. Shinto asks for everybody who wants to worship to regain a purified mind and body.
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(Enlarged photo) 		Kitamikado-guchi Sando, Pilgrimage Path at the North Sacred Gateway
This path is another entrance to the pilgrimage gateway to Geku, apart from the main pilgrimage path.
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(Enlarged photo) 		Purification Hall (Saikan) and Hall for visitors from the Imperial Household (Anzaisho)
On the right side of the pilgrimage path, there is a building called Saikan (the Purification Hall) encircled by the fences. The Shinto priests are required to spend one or two night here to free their mind from secular concerns so that they can serve at the rituals. Here they take a bath and partake of meals cooked with the sacred fire. By these procedures they become clean in mind and body, spiritually serene.
Adjacent to the Saikan, there is a building called Anzaisho, the Hall for the Emperor and the Empress.

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Jingu Administration Office
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(Enlarged photo) 		Hall for special prayer at Geku (Kaguraden)
The Kaguraden at the Geku is a hall where worshipers can offer their individual respect and thanks to the kami. It is located near the middle point of the pilgrimage path from the entrance to the main sanctuary. At this hall, you may make prayer and give a donation in favor of the Shikinen Sengu ceremony. You can also purchase the Jingu Taima, a talisman for protection, amulets and hanging scrolls of Toyouke Omikami.

copyright2001
Jingu Administration Office
(c)jingu-shicho
(Enlarged photo) 		Geku, main sanctuary (Toyoukedaijingu)
Toyouke Omikami has been enshrined at the Shoden, the main sanctuary building, in the most sacred place enclosed by four rows of fences. The building has the same shape as it had 1500 years ago, because of the ritual reconstruction performed every 20 years. General worshipers may approach only as close as the first gate.