What Pond Was Created by Digging Up Soil to Build Nishinomiya Shrine’s Wall?【Nishinomiya Quiz】

If you know this, you can prove you’re a true Nishinomiya expert. It’s time for the “Nishinomiya Quiz” corner.

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Here’s today’s quiz:

If you haven’t seen the answer yet, give it a try♪

The earthen walls surrounding the east and south sides of Nishinomiya Shrine’s grounds stretch a total of 247 meters. They are counted among Japan’s three great large earthen walls and are designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

※Quoted from the List of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties in Nishinomiya City / Nishinomiya City Hall website

It’s a nationally designated cultural property!

The correct answer is c. Niteko Pond.

The source is the book “Nishinomiya City in the Showa Era” ↓↓

Source: Nishinomiya City in the Showa Era, p.90

According to the source, soil was dug out during the Muromachi period to build the large earthen walls of Nishinomiya Shrine, and the site left behind became a pond.

I had always thought ponds were formed naturally or had simply been there from the start, but “Niteko Pond” was actually created because soil was dug up. I had no idea that soil was used for the walls of Nishinomiya Shrine.

As for the origin of the name “Niteko Pond,” it’s said that when people were carrying the soil, they chanted “Nettekoi, Nettekoi” meaning “knead it and bring it,” and over time that became “Neteko” and then “Niteko.”