East of central Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, Ôsaki Hachimangû is a shrine founded in the Heian Period (794 to 1185 C.E.) by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro who was ordered to lead expansionist campaigns against the Emishi, or “Non-Japanese”, of northern Japan. To pray for success in his battles against Aterui the Great of Emishi, he established a Hachiman shrine in modern Iwate Prefecture. In the Muromachi Period (1336 C.E. to c.1752 C.E.), the Ôsaki family, then governing northern Miyagi Prefecture, moved the shrine to its current location of Tajiri, Ôsaki city. When noted feudal lord Date Masamune founded the city of Sendai, he not only established his own sites of power and worship, but also infused existing locations with funding and repairs culminating in the shrine’s reestablishment around 1607 C.E. with the flourishes that make Ôsaki Hachimangû the famous location that it is today. The shrine is home to Hachiman, the god of victory in battle, and three other key deities, the 15th Emperor Ojin (200 - 310), the 14th Emperor Chuai (149 - 200) and his Empress Jingu (169 - 269). It’s important to note that there is no evidence that these people ever existed, but they are mythical emperors named in the Kojiki to establish the authority of the imperial house. None the less, these royal figures and Hachiman received great support from the clans of the area and ultimately the grand enshrinement that can be seen today thanks to the Date clan. The shrine was listed as a national treasure by the government for its exquisite representation of late Sengoku Period (c. 1470 C.E. to 1608 C.E.) architecture and design.

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 8.

Ôsaki Hachimangû is a really beautiful shrine and deserving of its designation as a national treasure. Rich dark wood, flashes of gold finishing, and vibrant explosions of color on carved motifs exemplify the ostentatious art aesthetics of the warrior class. One of my favorite aspects of the shrine is the sprawling walkway through the grove of massive pine trees. Not only is it a wonderful broad expanse of space that encourages deep inhalations of pine-rich air, but it also creates a sense of grandeur and importance which just feels right at a national treasure. There is a line of overhangs with lanterns above the main drag and smaller shrines on one side. I call them smaller shrines, but some are a fairly decent size. This shrine is relatively easy to get to when taking the bus from Sendai Station and only takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

This overhang is temporary, possibly for Shichi-Go-San festivities throughout November.

I’ve written about these shrines in the past and the Miyagi Gokoku Jinja is no different. This shrine is a branch of the Yasukuni Jinja in central Tokyo, dedicated to honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in survice to the safety and security of the nation. It’s a shrine that deserves our respect regardless of political ideologies.

For the casual: 4. For the educated: 4.

There’s not much to share about this shrine. There’s one in each prefecture honoring its citizens and this one is for Miyagi Prefecture. It’s not a shrine that I think people would seek out on their own, but considering it’s on the Sendai Castle grounds, most people will at least walk by it. The one feature which stood out to me was the good luck gourds which you can purchase and write wishes on. There’s a belief that a wish has a higher chance of coming true if you blow it into the gourd. Needless to say, these are not real gourds but wood which has been turned into gourd shape and is not actually hollow, but the sentiment still remains. By blowing your wish into the gourd then leaving it at the shrine, you are effectively entrusting your wish to the gods of the shrine.