Ichinomiya

Shrines of lower rank were designated ninomiya (二宮, second), sannomiya (三宮, third), shinomiya (四宮, fourth), and so forth.

As a general rule, all shrines designated "Ichinomiya" are of ancient origin and are listed in the Engishiki records completed in 927AD.

Rather, per the Ritsuryō legal and administrative system established in the Nara period, kokushi were appointed as imperial governors of each province.

When the kokushi travelled from Heian-kyo to his local seat at the provincial capital, the first shrine he called upon officially in his province was the "ichinomiya".

[8] [9][10] Tachibana Mitsuyoshi, a noted Shinto scholar in the early Edo Period, visited ichinomiya nationwide for 23 years starting 1675, and wrote the record of his travels in a 13 volume account.