History

In 1626 a large sandbank emerged in the mouth of the old Meguro River, and a Buddhist monk, Takuan, from the Tōkai-ji temple, established a small shrine there, the Susaki Benten, to worship Bentenzai.  Between 1774 and 1834 the area was developed as part of the Shinagawa-shuku, the first of the fifty-three stations of the Tōkaidō. The development was led by Kagata Kichizaemon and both the area and Takuan’s Bentenzai shrine took the Kagata name.

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Description

About five minutes on foot from Kita-Shinagawa station Kagata Jinja is undoubtedly best known for its whale mound.

In May 1798 a large whale was washed ashore and taken by the local fishermen. It was put on display in the Hama Palace, now the Hama Detached Palace, and no less illustrious a person than the 11th Tokugawa Shogun, Ienari, was one of the visitors. The bones were later buried in the grounds of the Kagata Jinja and a mound built on top.