[Miyagi Prefecture] Sendai Toshogu, a shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu in Sendai, is a treasure trove of important cultural properties!

there is the shrine that gives the name, Sendai Toshogu

A shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, founded by Date Tadamune, the second lord of the Sendai domain.

Tosho Daigongen (Tokugawa Ieyasu) , founded in 1654 by Date Tadamune, the second lord of the Sendai domain , and prays for good luck, warding off evil spirits, family safety, academic success, business prosperity, and victory. It is said to have divine virtue.

In 1591, after Tokugawa Ieyasu completed his inspection to suppress the Kasai-Osaki uprising, he rested with Date Masamune in the precincts of Tenjin Shrine (currently Tsutsurioka Tenmangu Shrine), which was located in what is now Tsutsujigaoka, Miyagino Ward, Sendai City. It is said that this area was chosen to be the guardian deity of the Sendai clan, which plays the role of guardian of demons, because it is located exactly northeast of Sendai Castle.

The construction of Sendai Toshogu Shrine was a major project that required the entire efforts of the domain.

In May 1649, the third shogun of the Edo shogunate, Tokugawa Iemitsu, received permission to construct Toshogu Shrine, and construction began in August 1649. It was completed five years later in 1654, along with Bettoji Temple and Sengakuin Temple, which still exist in the same area today.

This was a major project involving the entire efforts of the Sendai domain, and it is said that the total number of people involved in its construction at the time was over 800,000 people, and the total construction cost was 22,443 ryo

For reference only, assuming the current price of rice is approximately 2,000 yen for 5 kg, one ryo at the time would have cost approximately 60,000 yen, so the total construction cost would be over 1.3 billion yen

Miyamachi shopping street developed as a temple town of Sendai Toshogu Shrine

Miyamachi shopping street is located in the northern part of the current JR Sendai Station. As you can imagine from the long street that continues all the way to Sendai Toshogu Shrine, this area was originally ``Omiyamachi'' and was divided into a temple town when Toshogu Shrine was being built. It was the longest road running north and south of Sendai.

Residents at the time ``Toshogu Goyo'' , and were given roles such as ``cleaning the shrine grounds'' and ``decorating mikoshi'' during Toshogu festivals, but in return they were required to pay taxes. It seems that he received economic benefits such as being partially exempted.

Numerous cultural assets still remain within the temple grounds

Although Sendai Toshogu Shrine has suffered numerous disasters such as fires and earthquakes, many important cultural properties still remain within the shrine grounds.

stone torii

This is a stone Myojin torii gate dedicated by Date Tadamune, the founder of Sendai Toshogu Shrine.The pillars of the torii gate are inscribed with ``April 17th, 1654,'' and it is one of the largest torii gates in Miyagi Prefecture. the oldest existing torii gate .

stone lantern

These were dedicated by the Date clan and their vassals, and after the famous incident ``Date Riot'' that , the stone lanterns belonging to the vassals involved in the incident were removed, and now the stone lanterns that were dedicated afterward are also included. There are 38 existing in the precincts.

There are 28 of them lined up next to the Omotesando stone steps.

Zuijinmon

This gate is the main gate of Sendai Toshogu Shrine, and at the time it had a copper tile roof with metal fittings attached to important points, but it is said to have been torn off by the government army during the Boshin War.

Main shrine, Karamon gate, transparent wall

Inside, there is a gorgeously decorated house-shaped zushi, and a statue of the main enshrined deity, Tosho Daigongen (Tokugawa Ieyasu), is enshrined. The main hall, Karamon gate, and transparent fence were also decorated with metal fittings at the time, but like the aforementioned Zuijinmon gate, they were stripped away by the government army during the Boshin War.

In addition, the Chozuya is registered as a tangible cultural property of Miyagi Prefecture, and the stone steps of Omotesando are registered as a tangible cultural property of Sendai City.

Unfortunately, the shrine that attracts the attention of worshipers is the one that burned down in 1935 due to arson, and was rebuilt in 1964.

Toshogu Festival (Sendai Festival) is a valuable festival that is held only once every five years.

The Toshogu Festival is a festival that began in 1655 to commemorate the 7-day journey from Edo to Sendai in which the object of worship was carried on a portable shrine at the time of the shrine's founding. It is Sendai's largest festival, attracting visitors from far and wide, and was also known as the ``Sendai Festival.''

Its history was interrupted once during the Meiji period, but it restarted during the Taisho period, and now it is a valuable festival that is held only once every five years

Link: Sendai Toshogu Shrine – Toshogu Festival

Sendai Toshogu Shrine＜Information＞

• Name: Sendai Toshogu Shrine
• Address: 1-6-1 Toshogu, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 981-0908
• Phone number: 022-234-3247
• Official URL: http://s-toshogu.jp/

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