The main deity of the year of the Dragon and Snake enshrined in the god of fire! Atago Shrine (Sendai City) at Mt. Atago (Miyagi Prefecture)

Located in the southern part of central Sendai, Atago Shrine It is a famous night view spot , offering a panoramic view of Sendai city across the Hirose River

There are said to be about 1,000 shrines bearing the name "Atago" across all 43 prefectures across Japan, but this article will introduce Atago Shrine, located in Mukaiyama, Taihaku Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, and the Atago faith that gave it its name

What is Atago Shrine?

Atago Shrine is located on the summit of Mount Atago, 75 meters above sea level, across the Hirose River, south of the center of Sendai city

The main deity is Kagutsuchi, the god .

And as a companion

• Amaterasu Omikami
• Toyouke-hime
• Omononushi-no-kami
• Oyamakui-no-kami
• Okuninushi-no-kami
• Hayatamao-no-kami
• Izanagi
• Izanami
• Three other gods

It enshrines 12 gods

Since Kagutsuchi is the god of fire, he fire prevention and protection , and as he looks down on the city of Sendai from Mount Atago, he protects it from the disaster of fire.

The guardian deity of the Year of the Dragon and the Year of the Snake!

Before the separation of Shinto and Buddhism that occurred from the Edo period to the early Meiji period , the shrine was dedicated to Fugen Bosatsu , and it is believed to protect people born in the years of the Dragon and Snake protecting those born in the year of the Dragon and Snake (as Fugen Bosatsu is said to protect the directions of the Dragon and Snake).

For this reason, it is also famous as one of the eight shrines that are the guardian deities of the twelve zodiac animals in Sendai

Sendai Zodiac Guardian Deity

1. [Child] ・Zenryoin Kannon Hall (Thousand-Armed Kannon)
2. [Ox] [Tiger] Kokuzodo Daimanji Temple (Kokuzo Bodhisattva)
3. [Rabbit] - Washizuyama Monjudo (Manjusri Bodhisattva)
4. [Dragon] [Snake] Atago Shrine (Samantabhadra Bodhisattva)
5. [Go] - Nijusanya Hall (Seishi Bodhisattva)
6. [Sheep] [Monkey] - Dainichi Hall (Mahavairocana Buddha)
7. [Rooster] - Mitakiyama Fudoin Temple (Acala)
8. [Dog] [Boar] - Osaki Hachiman Shrine (Amitabha Buddha)

By the way, right next to Atago Shrine is the Kokuzo Hall of Daimanji Temple,

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Is the Thousand Buddhas at Daimanji Temple's Kokuzoson in Mukaiyama the origin of the name Sendai? [Miyagi Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/27976

On the way from central Sendai toward Nagamachi, Mount Atago is near Atagobashi Station on the Sendai Municipal Subway Namboku Line. While the area is famous for its Atago Shrine, just behind it is the Daimanji Temple and Kokuzoson. This site houses a thousand wooden Buddha statues, commonly known as Sentaibutsu (Thousand Buddhas), which are said to be the origin of the original name "Sendai" (Sentai). Overall view of Daimanji Temple: A Soto Zen temple founded by the Oshu Fujiwara clan. The temple gate of Daimanji Temple: Daimanji Temple is a Soto Zen temple founded by the Oshu Fujiwara clan. Its mountain name is Mount Kokuzo, and its principal deities are Shaka Nyorai and Kokuzo Bosatsu. The main temple gate of Daimanji Temple...

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Atago Shrine has moved many times along with Lord Masamune

Atago Shrine was originally located in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture,

However, in 1591, during the Toyotomi administration, Masamune was suspected of inciting the Kasai-Osaki Uprising and was transferred from Yonezawa Castle with a fief of 720,000 koku to 580,000 koku in the 13 districts of Kasai-Osaki, and the family was also transferred to Iwadeyama

After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1601, with the permission of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Masamune relocated his base to Sendai. Atago Shrine was also relocated to Sendai along with many other temples and shrines, but it was first Aramaki Village (Aramaki Village) to Motodera Koji , near the current Miyagi Prefectural Office

By the way, there are many temples in this area, such as Jozenji Temple and Manganji Temple, and at the time it was called "Terakoji." Later, as many of the temples were relocated, it came to be called " Motoderakoji

In 1650, the second lord of the Sendai domain, Date Tadamune, the summit of Mt. Atago along with its branch temple, Seiganji Temple. In the same year, the adjacent Kokuzoson Daimanji Temple, which still stands today, was also moved from Kyogamine.

Later, the temple, Seiganji, was abandoned during the Meiji period, but Atago Shrine has survived to the present day as a result of a shrine reorganization policy at the end of the Meiji period, which saw the annexation of several shrines in the neighborhood and within Sendai city

What is Atago faith?

Atago faith is a faith that originated from Atago Shrine, located on the summit of Mount Atago in Kyoto, and is said to have been spread throughout the country by ascetic monks.

As mentioned above, there are approximately 1,000 shrines with "Atago" in their names across Japan's 43 prefectures. Most of them enshrine Kagutsuchi-no-Mikoto or Izanami-no-Mikoto as their deities, and they are particularly common in the Tohoku region.

During the Sengoku period, the shogun Jizo was the original Buddha. Shogun Jizo is a Jizo statue wearing a helmet and armor, holding a shakujo in his right hand and a wish-granting jewel in his left hand, and riding a war horse. He was worshipped by many samurai at the time as the god of victory.

It may be because of this belief that whenever Lord Masamune moved his base, Atago Shrine was always moved with him

As the age of war came to an end and the world became peaceful, he changed from a god of victory to a god of fire prevention, a role he holds to this day. Because of this connection, the Atago festival is held on the 24th of every month, the same day as the Jizo.

At the temple gate there is a statue of Tengu, said to be the messenger of Atago Okami

are the largest seated Tengu statues in Japan, the Daitengu and Karasutengu

Tengu are said to be the guardian deity of Shugendo are also feared as and manifestations of the god Atago-

I was wondering, "Why Tengu?" but it turns out there's a reason for this!

summary

In addition to this, the grounds of Atago Shrine also contain shrines to other shrines that have been relocated, as well as a memorial monument for those from Miyagi Prefecture who served on the warship Atago, which bore the same name, during the Pacific War

As it is a night view spot, the view of Sendai city from the grounds is also spectacular, so this is a shrine that not only those born in the years of the Dragon and Snake, but everyone else should definitely visit at least once!

Atago Shrine (Sendai City) <Information>

• Name: Atago Shrine
• Address: 4-17-1 Mukaiyama, Taihaku Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, 982-0841
• Phone number: 022-223-6096
• Official URL: https://www.atago.org/

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Aoiwa

Traveling around the Tohoku region, I enjoy drinking delicious sake and exploring the local history, traditions, and customs. I write articles based on my interests. I'm currently interested in folk performing arts, local toys, and folk beliefs.