The ichinomiya of Echigo Province

What the Japanese sources say

Three shrines are treated as the ichinomiya here: Yahiko Jinja (彌彦神社), Kota Jinja (居多神社) and Amatsu Jinja (天津神社).

Yahiko Jinja says on its own website that “in volume 10 of the Engishiki (延喜式, a law code presented to the throne in 905 that lists the official shrines) it is recorded as the only myōjin taisha — the top grade of shrine in that list — in Echigo Province, and it also received deep reverence from the imperial court as the ichinomiya of Echigo”. It stands in Kanbara District.

For Kota Jinja, the city of Jōetsu says, in its explanation of the city-designated cultural property “the Kota Jinja documents”, that “it has drawn worship since ancient times as the ichinomiya of Echigo Province”. Thirty-four medieval documents that support this survive, among them a deed of donation of 1351 (Kannō 2) by Uesugi Noriaki, the first shugo (military governor) of Echigo and Kantō kanrei. It stands in Kubiki District (present-day Jōetsu City).

For Amatsu Jinja, no primary source for its claim to the title could be found. Beyond the fact that its address is “Ichinomiya, Itoigawa City”, nothing further could be obtained.

— Yahiko is in Kanbara District and Kota in Kubiki District, so the two are far apart, and the powers that protected them were different as well (this site’s reading).

Written from Japanese sources, each quoted. The Japanese page has the same discussion with the original wording.