Atago Shrine on Mt. Atago (Sendai City) [Miyagi Prefecture], dedicated to the fire god Kagutsuchi and the guardian deity of the Years of the Dragon and Snake!

Located in the southern part of central Sendai,Atago Shrine, as it offers a panoramic view of Sendai city across the Hirose Rivernight viewsis a famous spot for

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 enshrined here isKagutsuchi, 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

Because Kagutsuchi-no-kami is the god of fireprotect against fire, and he overlooks the city of Sendai from the disaster of fire by looking down on it from Mount Atago.

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 eraFugen Bosatsu (Samantabhadra Bodhisattva), the shrine enshrinedto protect those born in the Year of the Dragon and the Year of the Snakeand is therefore believedprotect those born in the Year of the Dragon and the Year of the Snake for their entire life. (This is because Fugen Bosatsu is said to protect the directions of the Dragon and the Snake.)

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

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(Fugen 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)

Incidentally, right next to Atago ShrineDaimanji Temple,ofthe Kokuzo-do Hallis

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 ShrineYonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture,was originally located in

However, in 1591, during the Toyotomi regime, when Lord Masamune was suspected of instigating the Kasai-Osaki Rebellion and was transferred from Yonezawa Castle with a domain of 720,000 koku to the 13 districts of Kasai-Osaki with a domain of 580,000 koku, the familyIwadeyamawas moved with him to

Then, in 1601, after the Battle of Sekigahara, Lord Masamune, with permission from Tokugawa Ieyasu, moved his base to Sendai. Atago Shrine, along with many other temples and shrines, was also to be relocated to Sendai. First, in 1603, itAramaki Village (Aramaki-mura), near the present-day Miyagi Prefectural Government buildingMototerakojiit was moved to

Incidentally, this area was once home to numerous temples, including Jozenji and Manganji, and was apparently known as "Terakoji" (Temple Alley) at the time. Later, many temples were relocated, and the area元came to be called " Moto-Terakoji " (Original Temple Alley).

, by Date Tadamune, the second lord of the Sendai Domainthe summit of Mount Atago,. In the same year, Kokuzo-son Daimanji Temple, which is still located next to it, 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 faithis a belief system that originated at Atago Shrine, located on the summit of Mount Atago in Kyoto, and is said to have been spread throughout Japan by Shugendo practitioners.

As mentioned earlier, there are approximately 1,000 shrines in 43 prefectures across Japan that have "Atago" in their name. Most of them enshrine Kagutsuchi-no-Mikoto or Izanami-no-Mikoto as their principal deities, andthey are particularly numerous in the Tohoku region.

During the Sengoku period (Warring States period),Asthe temple's principal deity was the Shogun Jizo. The Shogun Jizo is a Jizo statue depicted wearing a helmet and armor, holding a staff in its right hand and a wish-granting jewel in its left, and riding a warhorse.a god of victory, it attracted the faith of many samurai at the time.

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

Eventually, as the era of war ended and peace returned, Atago transformed from a god of victory into a god of fire prevention, a belief that continues to this day.Because of this connection, Atago's festival is held on the 24th of every month, the same day as Jizo's festival.

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

On either side of the temple gatea Great Tenguanda Karasu Tengu (crow-billed Tenguare enshrined the largest seated statues of

Tenguasceticismare consideredof Japanese mountainor)are also revered as

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