[Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture] A mysterious forest with a thousand-year history and faith in the warding off evil spirits | Kaminuma Hachiman Shrine

Fitzroy
2023.09.07
Last updated: 2026.11.06

Located in Tome City in northern Miyagi Prefecture,Kaminuma Hachiman Shrineis a venerable shrine with a thousand-year history, exuding a sense of tranquility. Its serene and mystical grounds truly make it a worthy power spot.

This time, we will take a deeper look into the charm of Kaminuma Hachiman Shrine and introduce it to you

The history of Kaminuma Hachiman Shrine

Kaminuma Hachiman Shrine is a shrine that was established in the mid-Heian period by Minamoto no Yoriyoshi and his son Yoshiie, who enshrined Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine in Kyoto

During the Battle of Zenkunen, the emperor set up camp here twice, and in gratitude for his victories, he chose this place, donated the temple grounds, enshrined the "Hachimanmori Honzon" (principal image of Hachiman), and stored his weapons there, and the temple was founded

In ancient timesthe Hachiman of Bows and Arrows, and in modern times it is worshipped as the Hachiman who wards off evil. Due to its belief in mother and child deities, it is visited by many people as a god of safe childbirth and child-rearing.

The grounds of Kaminuma Hachiman Shrine

The vast grounds are meticulously maintained by the chief priest, creating a divine space befitting a sacred area exuding tranquility and mystery

Sacred tree "Ubasugi"

On the left side of the worship hall, across the corridor connecting the worship hall and the sacred food offering area, stand two large trees, a male cedar and a female cedar. These are the primary sacred objects of Kaminuma Hachiman Shrine

Because it was an old tree, its branches and tops had begun to show signs of wilting, but thanks to subsidies from the town andthe "Association to Protect the Old Cedar Tree," it was treated and its vitality was wonderfully restored.

Great Torii Gate

When you visit Kaminuma Hachiman Shrine, the first thing that catches your eye is the magnificent torii gate that stands at the entrance to the shrine grounds

This large iron torii gate is 12 meters high, 7.7 meters wide, and has a 16-meter-long top beam, and was erected in 1991 to commemorate the 950th anniversary of the shrine. Many donations were collected for its construction, not only from parishioners but also from outside the town

Its shape"Myojin Torii,"and it is one of the largest in the Tohoku region.

Old Tree Grove (Tome City Nakatacho Cultural Property)

The temple grounds, which cover an area of approximately 33,000 square meters, are all designated as a wildlife sanctuary and are home to a large number of ancient, giant trees, including pines, cedars, and firs, some of which are hundreds of years old

These ancient, giant trees have been considered sacred since ancient times, forming a sacred forest. Such sacred areas are extremely rare even within the prefecture, and their presence exudes a solemn and refreshing atmosphere

On October 31, 1986, it was designated as a Nakata Town Cultural Property along with the "Ubasugi" tree

Annual event

date	Event name	Details/Notes
January 1st	New Year's Festival (New Year's prayer festival)	Lion dance offering
January 14th	Donto Festival	Bamboo, old sacred talismans, sacred ropes, New Year's decorations, and other New Year's decorations are burned. This ritual has been held since 1981
February 11	Kigensai Festival
Sunday near February 17th, 11:00	Niinamesai (prayer for a good harvest)
First Sunday of March	Hatsuuma Fire Prevention Prayer Ceremony
Sunday near April 15th, 11:00	Spring Festival
Second Saturday of September	Autumn Festival	Eve of the festival, Kamo-ryu Hoin Kagura performance, dedication kendo tournament
september	Kyodanmori Shinmeisha Atago Shrine Annual Festival
October	Shokonsha Festival
Mid-November	Shichi-Go-San Prayer Ceremony	Reservations accepted at any time
November 23	Niiname-sai (New Rice Thanksgiving Festival)	11:00 The ceremony to mark the start of the distribution of Ise Grand Shrine amulets will be held concurrently
December 31	Great Purification Ceremony

Kaminuma Kamo-ryu Hoin Kagura

The "Kaminuma Kamo-ryu Hoin Kagura" passed down at Kaminuma Hachiman Shrine is a Miyagi Prefecture-designated intangible folk cultural property. According to Miyagi Prefecture's explanation, it is classified as a "Nagare Kagura" (flowing style kagura) within the Hoin Kagura tradition

According to local tradition, the Kagura dance was originally performed at Myokakuin, a Shugendo temple in the former Kaminuma village, and its origins lie in a musician from Kamo, Kyoto, who introduced new movements and forms to the dance

The dance incorporates movements derived from Shugendo rituals, such as footwork and hand gestures. The basic dance forms are called "Kagura procedures," and while a Kagura manual listing the names of the forms has been preserved, the dance techniques have also been passed down orally. It was designated a cultural property of the former Nakata Town on March 28, 1986, and is currently preserved and passed down by the Kaminuma Hoin Kagura Association

At Kaminuma Hachiman Shrine, this Kagura dance is performed as an offering during the annual autumn festival, which is held on the second Sunday of September each year

According to the chief priest, there is a shortage of people to carry out the ritual, so they are recruiting widely. As long as you can practice, you don't have to live nearby, so if you're interested, why not consider joining?