Osaki Hachiman Shrine, the main shrine of Sendai and a national treasure, famous for the naked pilgrimage at the Donto Festival (Miyagi Prefecture)

Osaki Hachiman Shrine is a shrine located on the western side of Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, along Prefectural Route 31 (Sendai Murata Line) in Hachiman, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, a designated city

It was formerly a village shrine, and its enshrined deities are Emperor Ōjin, Emperor Chūai, and Empress Jingū.the Matsutaki Festival (Donto Festival) of Ōsaki Hachiman ShrineIt is also a shrine famous for

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Donto Festival: A traditional New Year's event [Miyagi Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/1116

When the sound of bamboo bursting in the flames echoes through the shrine grounds, the people of Miyagi Prefecture are reminded that a new year has begun. The Matsutaki Festival is held at Osaki Hachimangu Shrine amidst the cold skies. This festival, crowded with worshippers clad in winter gear and groups of naked visitors, is known as the "Donto Festival," a traditional Miyagi event. What is the Donto Festival? The Donto Festival is a collective term for festivals held throughout the Tohoku region, centered around Miyagi Prefecture. It is a traditional New Year's farewell event in which New Year's decorations, old sacred talismans, and other items are burned within the shrine grounds. In western Japan, a similar Shinto ritual, the "Sagicho," is well known. Every year, by the evening of January 14th, all the kadomatsu and pine decorations brought to the shrine are...

read more

A Momoyama-style shrine building designated as a national treasure

Although the exact date of Osaki Hachiman Shrine's founding is unknown, it is believed to have originated when Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who was entrusted by the Imperial Court with the task of conquering the Emishi in the Tohoku region during the Heian period, enshrined the war god Hachiman from Usa Jingu Shrine in what is now Oita Prefecture and enshrined him within Isawa Castle (present-day Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture), which was the site of the naval base that served as the frontline base for the Emishi political party

For this reason, its original nameChinjufu Hachimangu Shrinewas

The shrine was enshrined by Minamoto no Yoshiie, also known as Hachiman Taro, and was rebuilt by the Osaki clan as Osaki Hachiman

Later, during the Former Nine Years' War,Minamoto no Yoshiie,also known as Hachiman Taro, together with his father Minamoto no Yoriyoshi, quelled the Abe clan's rebellion. At that time, he invited Iwashimizu Hachiman to the site of the former Komatsu Shrine (present-day Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture), which had been the guardian deity of the old Nitta fort, and stored his weapons there.

, a branch of the Ashikaga shogunate family and a dominant force in the Tohoku region as the governor of Oshu, learnedthe Osaki clanas the guardian shrine of the five Osaki districts (Shida, Tamatsukuri, Kami, Toda, and Kurihara)Osaki Hachimanrenaming it

It is believed that the relocation of Chinjufu Hachiman Shrine, which is the origin of Osaki Hachiman Shrine, took place at this time

During the Sengoku period, the Osaki clan gradually lost power as they competed for supremacy with local feudal lords, and when Toyotomi Hideyoshi came to rule the country, they were ordered to abolish their domain in the Oshu Shioki in 1590 for not taking part in the attack on the Hojo clan at Odawara

From Osaki to Sendai by Date Masamune

Subsequently, Date Masamune, who came to rule this region, moved his base from Iwadeyama Castle in present-day Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, to Sendai Castle (commonly known as Aoba Castle) in Sendai City. At that time, he constructed a new shrine for Osaki Hachimangu Shrine at the present location, which is in the northwest direction from Sendai Castle, andOsaki Hachimangu Shrinein Yonezawa, which had been his long-time base,Narushima Hachimangu Shrineenshrined both

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Osaki Hachiman Shrine in Tajiri, Osaki City [Miyagi Prefecture], the main shrine of Sendai's national treasure, Osaki Hachiman Shrine

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/35144

Located in the northwestern part of Miyagi Prefecture, Osaki City boasts the third largest population in the prefecture after Sendai and Ishinomaki. Along with surrounding municipalities, it forms the Osaki Metropolitan Area, and is also home to the fertile land of Osaki Kōdo, a designated Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. https://jp.neft.asia/archives/16507 Osaki Hachiman Shrine, the main branch of Sendai City's national treasure, is located in the Tajiri district of Osaki City. The entrance to Osaki Hachiman Shrine: Origin of Osaki Hachiman Shrine: According to the Miyagi Prefecture Shrines Association, this area was originally the guardian deity of the "Shinden no Saku" (Stone Barrier) erected by the Imperial Court in 737 as a measure against the Emishi (Emishi).

read more

The shrine donated by Date Masamune at this time was built in the Gongen-zukuri style, entirely covered in black lacquer, and adorned with glittering gold decorative metal fittings. It is considered the epitome of Momoyama architecture anda National Treasureis now designated

Guardian deity for those born in the years of the dog and boar

Various festivals are held at Osaki Hachiman Shrine, but the annual festival in September is particularly lively, with performances such as Noh Kagura, which has been designated an intangible folk cultural property of Miyagi Prefecture, and Yabusame, a horseback archery tradition that has been passed down since the days of the Sendai domain

Also, because it is located in the dry direction of Sendai Castle, it has been widely worshipped by people born in the years of the dog and pig, a belief that continues to this day

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Sendai Zodiac Guardian Deity Sacred Site | Tohoku Zodiac Guardian Deity Sacred Sites: Miyagi Edition

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/28104

Have you ever heard of a sacred site? It refers to a pilgrimage route that visits sacred sites and temples throughout Japan in order. The nationally famous Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage is also part of the "Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage" pilgrimage route. While there are many sacred sites in the Tohoku region, this time we will introduce a sacred site related to the zodiac in Miyagi Prefecture. The Sendai Zodiac Guardian Deity Sacred Site, also known as the Sendai Kedegagami Sacred Site, is a sacred site dedicated to the Guardian Deity of the Zodiac in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture. There are a total of 12 sacred sites within Sendai City, but the most famous is the Sendai Zodiac Guardian Deity Sacred Site (Sen...

read more

Osaki Hachiman Shrine <Information>

• Name: Osaki Hachiman Shrine, the main shrine of Sendai
• Address: 4-6-1 Yahata, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, 980-0871
• Phone number: 022-234-3606
• Official URL:Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, the guardian shrine of Sendai [National Treasure]

Google Map

NEFT Editorial Department

This is the NEFT editorial team.
Articles written by our editorial team and articles by anonymous writers are published here.