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Nearest station

Samezu

Keihin Kyūkō Main Line

Tōkyō-to, Shinagawa-ku, Higashi-Ōi  1-20-10

東京都品川区東大井1-20-10

八幡神社 (鮫洲)

  Hachiman Jinja (Samezu)

Home page: (Japanese) none

September 18, 2018

History

The shrine legend tells us that it was founded sometime during the Kanbun Period (1661-1673): this is probably true as it is mentioned in a kakiagechō of 1686.  It housed the tutelary deity for Ohayashi-machi (御林町, lit. “Honorable forest town”) in Ōi-mura, now part of the Ōi district of Shinagawa. Its name derives from the fact that it was developed as forest land under the direct jurisdiction of the Bakufu and tasked with providing timber for Edo Castle. Close to the waterfront as it was, it also harboured a small fishing port, Ohayashi-ura,  and this was one of the eight bays or creeks where the Osai-sakana-hachikaura, official suppliers of marine produce to the Tokugawa Shōgunate, were located.  These suppliers were given special rights, and for its part Ohayashi-ura effectivelycontrolled the fishing businesses of 44 inlets flowing into Edo Bay, and it is perhaps not surprising that  Ohayashi-machi flourished against this background. As the town, so the shrine.

Enshrined Kami:  

Main

Hondawake-no-mikoto     誉田別命

 

From Merged Shrines

Okinagatarashihime           気長足姫尊

Izanagi-no-mikoto (13A)      伊邪那岐命

Izanami-no-mikoto (13B)     伊邪那美命

In-ground Shrines:

Benzaiten              弁財天

Shusse Inari Jinja     出世稲荷神社

Fujisengen Ōkami   富士浅間大神

Itsukushima Jinja  厳島神社

Nagotama Jinja     漁呉玉神社

 

​Annual Festival:  Nearest Saturday/Sunday to August 12 

Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社

In 1738 and again in 1813 the main hall was rebuilt: at this time shrine's affairs were overseen by the nearby Raifukuji temple, still in existence at Higashi-Ōi 3-13-1. Come the shinbutsu bunri, however, the shrine was  given village shrine ranking in 1874 and in 1897 it was designated a Shinsen-heihakuryō-kyōshin jinja. In 1929 it absorbed a nearby Shirayama Jinja.

Description

One minute from Samezu Station. For me the truly interesting aspects of this shrine are the in-ground shrines which reflect the fishing background described above. At the rear of the shrines is a largish pond containing a Benzaiten Jinja, and in front of the pond are two shrines, Itsukushima and Nagotama, which together are referred to as Sui Jinja (Water Jinja).

(Click on images to expand them)

Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社

Fujisengen Ōkami

Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
a8.JPG

Itsukushima Jinja

Nagotama Jinja

Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社

Benzaiten  弁財

Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
Hachiman Jinja Samezu 八幡神社
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