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Nearest station

Kamiyachō (H05) 

Hibiya Line

Tōkyō-to, Minato-ku, Toranomon -5-10-14

東京都港区虎ノ門-5-10-14

西久保八幡神社

   Nishikubo Hachiman Jinja

Home page: (Japanese)

April 22, 2019

History

Said to have been founded by Minamoto Yorinobu in what is now Kasumigaseki sometime during the Kankō Period (1004~1012); the deities of the Iwashimizu Hachiman-Gū, one of the 22 Shrines, were enshrined through the kanjō process. Roughly five centuries later the shrine was moved to its present location when Ōta Dōkan began work on Edo Castle.In 1600, Sugen-in (崇源院), more popularly known as Oeyo (於江与), the legal wife of the second Tokugawa Shōgun, Hidetada; chose the shrine to pray for the success of her husband and father-in-law, Ieyasu, at the upcoming Battle of Sekigahara. She apparently badly wanted the shrine to be rebuilt, and out of respect to her the decision to do so was taken after she passed away in 1626, although it was 1634 before the work was completed. Along with this, five shintai, statues of Hachiman. Emperor Chūai, Empress Jingū, Fudō-Myōō, Aizen-Myōō, were dedicated. These were unfortunately destroyed by fire along with the shrine in

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Enshrined Kami:  

Main

Homuda-wake-no-mikoto             品陀和氣命

Okinagatarashihimenomikoto     息長帯姫命

Okinakatsu-hiko-no-mikoto        帯中日子命

 

From Merged Shrines

None

In-ground Shrines:

Kōshin Sha  庚申社

Hitomaro Sha  人麿社

Inari Jinja          稲荷神社

 

​Annual Festival:    August 13, 14, and 15

1723. with the shrine in 1723. The shrine was rebuilt the following year, only to be burned down again in 1811 and rebuilt once more in 1818.

Sumo bouts were held in the shrine grounds in 1770, 1815, and 1816, and on at least one occasion the 6th Yokozuna, Ōnomatsu Midorinosuke (阿武松緑之助も取組), participated. Shortly after being given village shrine ranking in 1872 the shrine was badly damaged and in 1909 extensive repairs were carried out. It was essentially burned to the ground in the fire bombings of March and May in 1945; reconstruction was completed by 1954.

Description

One oThe Eight Edo Hachiman-Gū.  About five minutes on foot from Kamiyachō Station. For me the most interesting aspects of the the shrine are the two pairs of koma-inu. Although not dated they were probably erected in the Edo Period. Note that the kami of the Hitomaru-sha is Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (柿本人麻呂), an Asuka Period poet and the major contributor to the Man'yōshū

(Click on images to expand them)

Nishikubo Hachiman Jinja  西久保八幡神社
Nishikubo Hachiman Jinja  西久保八幡神社
Nishikubo Hachiman Jinja  西久保八幡神社
Nishikubo Hachiman Jinja  西久保八幡神社
Nishikubo Hachiman Jinja  西久保八幡神社
Nishikubo Hachiman Jinja  西久保八幡神社
Nishikubo Hachiman Jinja  西久保八幡神社
Nishikubo Hachiman Jinja  西久保八幡神社
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Hitomaro Sha  人麿社
Inari Jinja          稲荷神社
a108.JPG
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Inari Jinja          稲荷神社
Hitomaro Sha  人麿社
Kōshin Sha  庚申社
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