Himonya Hachiman-Gu

It is said that this particular Hachiman-Gu was founded sometime during the Kamakura Period when the guardian deity of Shigetada Hatakeyama, (畠山 重忠) a retainer of Minamoto Yoritomo, was enshrined here. The current shrine buildings were rebuilt in 1674, renovated in 1872 and again in 1887.  Until the Separation of  Shinto and Buddhism Act was enacted along with the Meiji Restoration, the shrine’s affairs were managed by a sub-temple in the grounds of the nearby Enyu-ji Temple, Jingu-in (,別当寺) 

​

The Inari-Sha in the shrine grounds is dedicated to a retainer of Shigetada Hatakeyama, one Rokuro Haruzawa, and contains a stone inscription: the village in which this was made is said to be the origin of the Himonya name. The stone was found in the nearby Nomi River and three Sanskrit characters are engraved on it. From left to right they stand for Seishi Bosatsu (勢至菩薩,Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva), Dainichi Nyorai (大日如来Mahavairocana Buddha), and Kannon Bosatsu (観音菩薩Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva). The stone probably dates to the Muromachi Period, although virtually nothing is known about it.

​

On a more contemporary note, the area between the first and second torii approaching the shrine is awash with cherry blossoms during the season.