
The enshrined deity here is Amanotomami-no-Mikoto, also known as Ame-no-Ikka-no-Mikoto.
This deity is characterized by a deep connection with ironworking. In fact, there is a place name called Kajiya near this shrine.
Another connection is with Daidarabocchi. A folktale about a giant called Amanjaku also remains here. Although he is a deity descended from the descendants of Tenson, he is closely connected to the Kunitsukami region.
This shrine has the unusual name of Aotama Shrine, but Tamago Shrine and Oji Shrine also honour the same deity, and it is interesting that this shrine is the only one to have the character for blue written on it.
There are also shrines in this area that do not have main halls and are thought to practice rock-wall worship, so it must have been quite prosperous in the past. There is also a place name called Obukuro nearby, which suggests a connection to Okuninushi-no-Mikoto.
The place name where this shrine is located is also an unusual reading of Toba (Tori-ma), and it is said to have been derived from a festival site, but this does not seem quite convincing.
This shrine is also home to a sacred tree called the Milk Tree (500 years old) and the Couple Cedar (1000 years old). Some people touch the sacred trees, but the blessings of the sacred trees are coming down from them, so it's okay to just stand underneath them. Please do not touch them!
I don't know what kind of gods they are, but (as is true of any shrine) I get chills down my spine after pas











