[Miyagi Prefecture] The original home of Sendai’s national treasure “Osaki Hachiman Shrine”! "Osaki Hachiman Shrine" in Tajiri, Osaki City

Edit3.51
2024.09.24
Last updated: 2024.09.17

table of contents

1 Origin of Osaki Hachiman Shrine
- 1.1 Mr. Osaki, who was appointed Mutsu no kami, rebuilt the shrine building from his ancestors.
- 1.2 How Osaki Hachiman Shrine moved to Sendai
2 Current Osaki Hachiman Shrine
3 summary
- 3.1 Osaki Hachiman Shrine＜Information＞

Osaki City is located in the northwestern part of Miyagi Prefecture and is the third most populous city in the prefecture after Sendai City and Ishinomaki City.

Although it is a city that forms the "Osaki metropolitan area" with surrounding municipalities it is also a fruitful land where "Osaki Kōdo", which has been certified as a World Agricultural Heritage Site,

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

[Miyagi Prefecture] “Osaki Kōdo,” a farmland that lives with water and has been certified as a World Agricultural Heritage Site

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/16507

Even though it is called ``Osaki Kodo'', most people outside of the local area probably don't know about it. In the northern part of Miyagi Prefecture, the Eai River spreads through Osaki City, Shikama Town, Kami Town, Wakuya Town, and Misato Town. It is an agricultural area centered on rice in the Naruse River basin, and was certified as a Japanese Agricultural Heritage Site in 2016 and a World Agricultural Heritage Site in 2017. The Global Agricultural Heritage Sites, which are recognized as World Heritage Sites by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, are the world's agricultural heritage sites, which are the regions around the world where agriculture, forestry, and fisheries have been practiced since ancient times.

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Osaki Hachiman Shrine, the original home of Sendai's national treasure Osaki is located in the Tajiri district of Osaki City

Origin of Osaki Hachiman Shrine

According to the Miyagi Prefecture Shrine and Shrine Agency, this area was originally the site of Komatsu Shrine, the guardian deity of the Nitta no Fence It is said that, with the subsequent progress in Ezo countermeasures, the fences in Nitta were abolished, and Komatsu Shrine, which was the guardian deity, was moved to the current location of Sako-cho, Tome City.

Approximately 300 years later, in 1057, Minamoto no Yoriyoshi was ordered by the Abe clan to pacify the rebellion as the shogun of the military base and the governor of Mutsu, and his son Yoshiie, commonly known as Hachimantaro , to attack Tengugaoka (currently known as Tengugaoka). They set up camp near Tajiri Hachiman, Osaki City. This is a scene from the battle known to the world the Nine Years War

In response to the fierce resistance of the Abe clan, Yoriyoshi's army, which was unable to procure drinking water, had low morale and was forced to struggle. At that time, the god Hachiman (Emperor Ojin) appeared in Yoshiie's dream and told him of a spring with drinking water, which boosted the morale of the army and successfully defeated the enemy army.

At the time of his triumphal return, he invited Iwashimizu Hachiman and deposited his weapons at the site of Komatsu Shrine, the guardian deity of the old Nitta fence. This is said to be the beginning of this shrine.

Mr. Osaki, who was appointed Mutsu no kami, rebuilt the shrine building from his ancestors.

Osaki (Shiba) Iekane who was appointed Oshu Kanrei (later Oshu Tandai) by order of Shogun Takauji Ashikaga and moved to this area , discovered that this shrine was his distant ancestor, Minamoto no Yoshiie. Knowing that it had been a gift, in 1361 the shrine was rebuilt, the festival was reinstated, and the name was changed to Osaki Hachiman as the general guardian of the five Osaki districts

How Osaki Hachiman Shrine moved to Sendai

Later, in 1590, Yoshitaka Osaki, , the Osaki family was punished for not participating in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's attack on Odawara Castle. (Oshu Shioki)

the Kasai Osaki Rebellion between the Kasai clan, which had also been annexed like the Osaki clan, and former vassals of the Osaki clan , but it was pacified by Ujisato Gamo and Masamune Date.

Later, this land became the territory of the Date clan, and Date Masamune, who moved his castle to Mt. Iwade, revered Osaki Hachiman Shrine and transferred it to the Mt. Iwade territory. This is said to be another Osaki Hachiman Shrine that is still located at the Shimonome boundary of Mt. Iwade, Osaki city.

Osaki Hachiman Shrine at Shimonomekai, Iwadeyama, Osaki City

When moving from Mt. Iwade to Sendai, it was moved to Sendai along with Narushima Hachimangu Shrine This is now Osaki Hachimangu Shrine .

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

[Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture] “Osaki Hachimangu Shrine”, a national treasure and the Sendai general guardian, famous for the naked pilgrimage of the Donto Festival

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/204

Osaki Hachiman Shrine is a shrine located on the west side of Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, along Prefectural Route 31 (Sendai Murata Line) in Yawata, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, which is a designated city. The former status of the shrine was a village shrine, and the deities enshrined are Emperor Ojin, Emperor Chuai, and Empress Jingu, and the shrine is also famous for the Donto Festival at Osaki Hachimangu Shrine. https://jp.neft.asia/archives/1116The Momoyama-architected shrine Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, designated as a national treasure, is built by Sakanoue Tamuramaro, who was entrusted by the imperial court with the Ezo expedition in the Tohoku region during the Heian period, although the exact date of its construction is unknown. However, he summoned Hachiman, the god of war, from Usa Shrine in present-day Oita Prefecture, and worshiped Ezo...

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Current Osaki Hachiman Shrine

Even after it was transferred to Sendai, Tajiri's Osaki Hachiman Shrine was rebuilt by the Date family and became a local shrine in 1898.

worship hall

The current shrine was built in October 1992.

Shinmei-style hall of worship at Osaki Hachiman Shrine

This is a splendid Shinmei-zukuri shrine with a gabled roof, bonito trees, and sword-like Chiki trees that are very impressive.

Old worship hall

The past worship hall remains as it is next to the current worship hall.

Main shrine

The main shrine is located behind the current worship hall. The main enshrined deity, Hachimangami (Emperor Ojin), is enshrined here.

horse-shaped cedar

A large old cedar tree next to the approach, with a circumference of 7m and a height of 38m. It is called horse-shaped cedar because its roots resemble the shape of a horse's kidneys, hind legs, and rump hair

summary

Osaki Hachimangu Shrine is named Osaki even though it is located in Sendai Where did it come from? Although I had doubts about it, I didn't think about it that deeply, but this time I was able to solve the mystery!

Although the shrine stands alone in a peaceful countryside, the fine structure of the main building gives you a sense of the original style of Osaki Hachimangu Shrine.

Osaki Hachiman Shrine is revered by the feudal lords of the Sengoku period, the Osaki clan and the Date clan, and continues to this day. If you are interested, please come and visit us.