真名鶴神話（真鶴神話・八握穂縁起とも）とは、六月・十二月十一日神今食と十一月中卯日新嘗祭の祭月朔日に、天皇に供進される忌火御饌の起源神話として、神祇官から村上天皇に天暦三年（九四九）に上奏された『神祇官勘文』に見られる神話である。その内容は以下の通りである。倭姫が天照大神を奉じ、伊勢国壱志郡を発し、佐志津に逗留した際、夜間葦原で鶴鳴を聞いた。使者を派遣し、捜索させたところ一隻の鶴が八根の稲穂を守護していた。倭姫はこれを苅り採り、大神の御饌に供えようとし、折木を刺し合わせ火鑚をし、彼の米を炊飯。大神に供奉し、この時から神嘗祭は始まった。そして以後三節祭毎に御飯を供進したという。こうした火鑚を行って鶴が守護した稲を炊飯する儀を忌火といい、宮中の忌火御饌の起源であると神祇官より村上天皇に上奏されたのである。すなわち、この神話伝承によれば、宮中の忌火御饌は、伊勢神宮内宮の由貴大御饌神事と不可分な関係があるという。のみならず、天皇親祭の形式で執行される六月・十二月十一日神今食と十一月中卯日新嘗祭と祭祀構造を同じくする神宮三節祭、すなわち六月月次祭・九月神嘗祭・十二月月次祭との関係を考える上でも、宮中の忌火御饌供進儀と神宮の由貴大御饌供進儀との密接さを窺わせる神話は看過できない。本稿では宮中の嘗祭の延長線上に神宮三節祭があることを検討してみたい。

The Manazuru myth (also the Yatsukaho Engi) is a myth that appears in the “Jingikan Kanmon” which was presented to Emperor Murakami by the Jingikan (Department of Shinto) in 949. It relates the origin of the imibimike offering made to the emperor on the first day of the Niinamesai (harvest festival) held in November and the jinkonjiki (sacred meal) that takes place on the 11th day of June and December according to the lunar calendar. The story goes as follows.Yamatohime, a worshipper of Amaterasu Omikami, sets out from Ichishi-gun in the land of Ise and when she makes a stop at Sashitsu she hears the cries of a crane in a field of reeds at night. When she dispatches a messenger to conduct a search, he finds a crane protecting rice ears that are the length of eight hands. Yamatohime cuts this rice and in order to present it as an offering (mike) to Amaterasu Omikami, rubs some sticks together to light a fire and cooks the rice. She offers the rice to Amaterasu Omikami, and it is from this time that the Kan’namesai, the Ise Shrine harvest festival, is held. From this time on, rice is offered to kami each time one of the Sansetsusai (three seasonal festivals) is held. This ritual in which a fire is made to cook the rice protected by the crane is called“ imibi.” It is the origin of the imibi-mike offering made at the Imperial palace and is said to have been told to Emperor Murakami by the Jingikan (Department of Shinto). In other words, according to this myth, the imibi-mike offering made at the Imperial palace is inextricably linked to the yuki no omike (sacred offerings) made at the Naiku (Inner Shrine) at Ise Shrine.In addition, when looking at the relationship between the jinkonjiki held on the 11th day of June and December, which is performed following the format of the Shinsai (direct worship of imperial ancestors by the emperor), the Niinamesai held in November and the Sansetsusai of Ise Shrine (the Tsukinamisai in June, Kan'namesai in September and the Tsukinamisai in December), which have the same structure, it becomes obvious that this myth suggests a close link between the ritual of making imibi mike offerings at the Imperial palace and the ritual of making yuki no omike offerings at Ise Shrine. Thus, this paper examines the Sansetsusai of Ise Shrine as extensions of the ritual held at the Imperial Palace.

source:https://www.rekihaku.ac.jp/outline/publication/ronbun/ronbun6/index.html#no148