Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Kanagawa

Kamakura is a sightseeing spot that is easily accessible not only in Kanagawa Prefecture but also in Tokyo, about an hour by train from the city center.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is about a 10-minute walk from Kamakura Station, the center of tourism, and is famous as one of the most popular tourist spots in Kamakura. There are many important cultural properties in the shrine with a history of over 1000 years, and many tourists visit throughout the year. Within the large precincts, there are various attractions such as the “Genpei Pond” with its rich scenery and a shrine.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is a shrine in Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Along with Ishikimizu Hachiman in Kyoto and Hakozaki Hachimangu in Fukuoka Prefecture, this is one of the three most popular spots in Japan. The main shrine of Edo architecture built by Ienari TOKUGAWA is also designated as an important cultural material.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is the center of sightseeing in Kamakura, with many visitors visiting throughout the year. Many shrines and temples in Kamakura have many places with precious cultural assets, and admission fees are required. Above all, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is a nice point that it can be used basically free of charge except for some facilities.
Various amulets and luck fortune slips are sold in the precincts. A stylish cafe is also available, which can be used as a rest spot for a break from sightseeing.
It is close to Japan Railway or Enoshima Electric Railway Kamakura Station, the center of sightseeing in Kamakura, and is conveniently located by bus or car.
If you are walking, it is recommended that you access through Komachi Street, a popular tourist spot. From Kamakura Station to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, it is almost straight, and if you follow the straight approach, you will be able to get there for the first time.
“Komachi Street” can be reached in a 5-minute walk from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. Let’s visit Kamakura’s famous sightseeing spots. There are souvenir shops and restaurants on the side of the street.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is a popular spot that is close to the station and many people visit every day. There are many highlights in the large precincts. Visit the shrines and sacred places in the precincts and enjoy sightseeing in Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.

The samurai’s guardian deity

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is Hachimangu especially typical also in Hachiman-jinja Shrine which is known for having the most worshippers in Japan.
Moreover, it is a sightseeing spot popular as a shrine representing Kamakura. The connection is deep to The first Shogun of Kamakura bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), MINAMOTO no Yoritomo, and it was once considered as the samurai’s guardian deity. It is famous also as spiritual place which has divine favor in luck and success-in-life fate after Minamotono Yoritomo in recent years.

The cherry tree famous place 100 in Japan

Wakamiya-oji Street is the approach of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine where Yoritomo Minamotono had made for safe delivery of Masako Hojo who was his wife. It is an straight street from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine to Yuigahama beach, and also the center street of Kamakura. There are three toriis and they’re “ichi no torii” (the first of the torii), “ni no torii” (the second of the torii) and “san no torii” (the third of the torii) from the beach. It is the popular site which 177 cherry trees stand in a row in along the way, and is chosen also as one of the cherry tree famous place 100 in Japan.

One of the 100 elections of the bridge in Kanagawa

The Taiko-bashi bridge is sacred bridge made with the stone spanning the Genpei-ike pond. It is said that it got on and off to palanquin on this bridge when a shogun family worshipped at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. Although it had lost their color now, since it was the vermillion-painted bridge those days, it was also called as Red Bridge. There is overwhelming presence and it is chosen as one of the 100 elections of the bridge in Kanagawa.

Designated also as the important cultural property of the country

Tokugawa Ienari reconstructed main shrine where the form is left at present in 1828, and it’s made on the large stone steps. The point of attention is that the word of “Hachi” in Hachimangu written to the surface of the frame of the gate has a form of a pigeon. In Hachimangu Shrine, it considers that a pigeon is the sacred messenger of God, and something which modeled the pigeon are everywhere. By typical construction of Edo period, it was designated also as the important cultural property of the country.

The harmony of the curved line, the beautiful solemn atmosphere

The Maidono (a building on the grounds of a Shinto shrine, called sacred dance hall), it is the building of irimoya style (building with a half-hipped roof) made in 1193. The harmony of the curved line, the beautiful solemn atmosphere is the feature. Maidono, it is at the center of the shrine mostly and is referred to also as an alias the Outer Haiden (worship hall). It is also possible for it to use as a hall of a wedding ceremony while being surrounded by rich nature every season.

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