Tsurumine Hachimangū (鶴嶺八幡宮)

Tsurumine Hachimangu

Tsurumine Hachimangu (鶴嶺八幡宮) is a Hachiman shrine that has served as the soja of Chigasaki of Sagami Province since the Heian period.  The deities enshrined are Emperor Ojin (應神天皇), Emperor Nintoku (仁徳天皇), and Sazuka Okami (佐塚大神) along with Sugawara no Michizane (菅原道真) of Tsurumine Tenmangu (鶴嶺天満宮).

The sign placed in front of the shrine building explains that the origin of Tsurumine Hachimangu traces back to the Kohei era (1058 ~ 1065) when Minamoto no Yoriyoshi founded a shrine, modeling Iwashimizu Hachimangu, in Yabata Village (mainly the Yabata District of Chigasaki today) on his way on a military campaign.  However, Tsurumine Hachimangu's official website states the shrine's origin traces back to 1030 when Yoriyoshi arrived in the area on his way to settle the uprising and enshrined the god of Iwashimizu Hachimangu (some critics say Usa Hachimangu) which was the guardian deity of the Minamoto clan.  According to a sign placed at Honshagu, a kenmu-sha of Tsurumine Hachimangu, in 1089, Minamoto no Yoshiie prepared a vast area of land in Hamanogo Village (mainly the Hamanogo District of Chigasaki today) and built Tsurumine Hachimangu.  During the Eiroku and Genki eras (1558 ~ 1570), the shrine caught on fire from battles going on at the time destroying the shrine building and old records.

From the left: Sazukari-shi, Megogaishi, and two monuments honoring Chokei

Dosojin

According to the sign placed between a stone called Megogaishi (女護ヶ石) and the dosojin (道祖神), in 1649, Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Edo shogunate, donated 7 koku of land in the Honson District to the shrine.  In commemoration of this donation, Chokei (朝恵), a high-class Buddhist priest of the betto-ji of Joko-in (常光院) which used to stand west of the shrine, with the cooperation of Yamaoka Kagenobu (山岡景信), the jito of Sagami Province, reconstructed the shrine building and planted pine trees along the sando and the riding ground in front of the shrine.  However, the sign in front of the shrine building says the reconstruction of the shrine building and planting of the pine trees were conducted during the Shoho era (1644 ~ 1648), before the land donation in 1649.

The sando between the second torii and Tsurumine Hachimangu

The sando is designated as a historical site and the pine trees as natural monuments by Chigasaki.  Today, the sando between the first and second torii is used as a roadway.  There is a stone bridge called Taiko-bashi (太鼓橋) in front of the second torii.

The first torii

The second torii (back left) and Taiko-bashi (right)

Goshinboku

Goshinboku (御神木)

This goshinboku (the official website says the former goshinboku) is a Chinese black pine tree that is said to have been planted around the time when the shrine was founded.  It has been known as a "rising dragon" since it looks like a dragon facing up.  According to the sign next to the goshinboku, a white snake, which is said to be a messenger of the goddess of Benzaiten, can sometimes be seen coiling up around the tree.  It is said offering eggs on snake day (巳の日) every month will make you rich.

Ginkgo Tree of Tsurumine Hachiman

The Ginkgo Tree of Tsurumine Hachiman (鶴嶺八幡のイチョウ)

The ginkgo tree in front of the shrine building is the largest in Kanagawa Prefecture and is said to have been planted by Minamoto no Yoshiie.  This tree was designated as a natural monument by Kanagawa Prefecture in 1962 and selected as one of "Kanagawa's Top 100 Famous Trees" in 1984.

The Zashiki-Warashi, Warako (わらこ)

One of the well-known spirits in Japanese folklore is the zashiki-warashi which is said to be in the form of a child wearing traditional Japanese clothes.  However, direct sightings are rare.  People who say they have encountered them say they heard footsteps, heard voices of children at midnight, felt someone touching them while asleep, found footprints in the ashes, or found a handprint of a child on the wall.  It is believed they bring good luck, especially to houses where they stay.  While most reports are concentrated in the Tohoku Region, especially in Iwate Prefecture, a female zashiki-warashi named Warako (わらこ) is said to be living in Tsurumine Hachimangu.

Area where Warako is said to be playing around

According to the shrine, in the area where Warako is said to be playing around, some people said they saw a shadow or the windmill spinning when there were no winds.

Subordinate Shrines

Hokonomiya Jinja (鉾宮神社)

Hokonomiya Jinja during the Yayoi Festival

Not much is known about Hokonomiya Jinja (鉾宮神社) since there are no detailed records left.  There is a record listing this shrine as a non-rank shrine on June 21, 1889.  The sign placed in front of the torii states the shrine enshrines the deities of Susanoo-no-Mikoto (須佐之男命) and Kotohira-no-Mikoto (古刀比羅命) while Tsurumine Hachimangu's official website states it also enshrines the deity of Hokonomiya-no-Okami (鉾宮大神).

Shonan Awashima Jinja (湘南淡嶋神社)

Tofu placed in front of Shonan Awashima Jinja for hari-kuyo

Shonan Awashima Jinja (湘南淡嶋神社) enshrines the deities of Sukunahikona no Mikoto (少彦名命) and Awashima no Kami (淡嶋神).

The stone monument engraved "針塚" (Harizuka), which literally translates to "needle mount," on the left of the shrine is used for hari-kuyo held on February 8 and December 8.

To the right of the shrine is a stone called Ganfuji-ishi (癌封じ石), which literally translates to "cancer-blocking stone."  First, go to the haiden of Tsumine Hachimangu and then come to the haiden of Shonan Awashima Jinja to pay your respects.  Then chant "祓え給へ、清め給へ (Harae tamae, kiyome tamae)" three times while rubbing the stone and the part of your body that is not well.

Harizuka (left), Shonan Awashima Jinja (middle), and Ganfuji-ishi (right)

Tsurumine Inari Jinja (鶴嶺稲荷神社)

Tsurumine Inari Jinja

Tsurumine Inari Jinja (鶴嶺稲荷神社) is an Inari shrine enshrining the goddess of Ukanomitama-no-Okami (宇迦之御魂大神).

Amaterasu Kotaijingu (天照皇大神宮)

Amaterasu Kotaijingu

Amaterasu Kotaijingu (天照皇大神宮) enshrines the goddess of Amaterasu Omikami (天照大神).

Futokorojima Benzaiten (懐嶋弁財天)

Futokorojima Benzaiten

Futokorojima Benzaiten (懐嶋弁財天) enshrines the goddess of Ichikishimahime no Mikoto (市杵島姫命).  While Benzaiten is a goddess originating from the Indian goddess of Saraswati, Ichikishimahime no Mikoto was identified as Benzaiten during the days of shinbutsu-shugo.

The paved sando has bird footprints.  There is also a small pond, with Japanese rice fish, on the left side of Futokorojima Benzaiten.

Tsurumine Hachimangu's shrine office is normally open from 8:00 to 15:00 during the weekdays and from 8:00 to 16:00 during the weekends and holidays.

Some of the goshuin of Tsurumine Hachimangu from 2022