Hachiman Shrine

Overview

Hachiman Shrine is a shrine located in Kisami, Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Enshrined in Kisami, an area of the southern Izu Peninsula known for its beautiful coast of white sand, its former shrine rank was village shrine (sonsha). It is considered one of the candidate shrines for the Kami-no-Mikoto Shrine, a shikinaisha listed in the Heian-period Engishiki Jimmyocho, and is known as a shrine of ancient lineage. It stands on the west side of the road that runs south from National Route 136 toward Kisami Ohama Beach. Its annual festival is held each October, and it has gathered the faith of local people as the guardian deity of a seaside settlement. Note that it must be distinguished from Shimoda Hachiman Shrine, located in the central downtown (Minato-cho) of Shimoda City and known for a grand annual festival in which as many as fourteen drum platforms parade; despite the same name, they are different shrines.

History and Origins

The detailed origins of Hachiman Shrine's founding are unclear, but it is counted as one of the candidate shrines for the Kami-no-Mikoto Shrine, recorded as a shikinaisha of Kamo District, Izu Province, in the Heian-period Engishiki Jimmyocho, and its history is thought to reach back into antiquity. A candidate shrine (ronsha) is the term for one of several candidates proposed when it is disputed which present-day shrine corresponds to a shrine recorded in the Jimmyocho of the Engishiki. A shikinaisha listed in the Jimmyocho was a shrine of venerable lineage officially recognized as an object of ritual by the court as of 927; that Hachiman Shrine is regarded as a candidate for the Kami-no-Mikoto Shrine shows that this Kisami area was a sacred place of worship since ancient times.

Meanwhile, the Hachiman deity in the shrine's name has Emperor Ojin (Homutawake-no-Mikoto) as its principal deity and has been widely worshiped throughout Japan as a god of martial fortune and protection of the nation. From the medieval period onward, the Hachiman faith gathered the deep reverence of warriors, beginning with the Minamoto clan, and many Hachiman shrines were invited (kanjo) across the land. The Hachiman Shrine of Kisami, while in the stream of this nationwide Hachiman faith, is greatly distinctive in also possessing the ancient lineage of a shikinaisha candidate. In other words, the character of a place enshrining an ancient land-guardian deity and the Hachiman faith that spread in later ages overlap within a single shrine. As the guardian deity of a seaside settlement, it has been protected and handed down over long years while gathering the faith of people praying for the safety of fishing and the sea and for the prosperity of the community.

Highlights

One highlight of Hachiman Shrine is the imposing ancient trees standing in its precincts. Large trees such as isunoki, camphor (kusunoki), and ginkgo grow thick in the grounds, and their trunks and branches, having passed through long years, tell of the depth of this shrine's history. These trees have been cherished by local people, proposed as Shimoda Town Heritage as historical and natural assets of the area. The precincts, wrapped in the warmth of the trees and green shade, give visitors a quiet sense of peace. Being able to feel the shrine's history not only from the buildings but from the nature of the precincts is a charm unique to this ancient shrine.

Another highlight is the ancient lineage as a shikinaisha candidate itself. Unlike large shrines bustling with tourists, this shrine quietly enshrined in a seaside settlement conveys to this day the simple form of faith continuing from antiquity. Because it is located along the road heading from the national route toward Kisami Ohama Beach, people enjoying swimming in summer can also stop by the ancient shrine together with the sea. To savor at once the two contrasting charms, magnificent sea scenery and a quiet shrine holding over a thousand years of history, is an experience unique to this place.

Event Information and Access

The annual festival of Hachiman Shrine is held each year on October 15. As the festival of the guardian deity of a seaside settlement, it is carried on by local people. Though not on the scale of the annual festival of Shimoda Hachiman Shrine in the city center, it is a simple rite rooted in the community, praying gratitude for the autumn harvest and peace for the area.

For access, the gateway is Izukyu-Shimoda Station, the terminus of the Izukyu Line. From Shimoda Station, head toward the Kisami area by bus or car to reach the shrine, which stands on the west side along the road running south from National Route 136 toward Kisami Ohama Beach. Because it is near Kisami Ohama Beach, popular for swimming, one can also visit it together with the summer sea. As the shrine is a place of local life and faith, it is important to visit quietly and with respect when worshiping. The exact festival dates and times can be confirmed through local information. Since public transportation is limited in parts of the southern Izu Peninsula, it is reassuring to look into transportation in advance.

Around the Area

Kisami Ohama Beach, right near Hachiman Shrine, is one of the beautiful beaches representative of the southern Izu Peninsula. White sand and highly transparent water spread in an arc, and in summer it bustles with people enjoying swimming and surfing. The scenery of the calm cove never ceases to fascinate visitors. The location, with sea and ancient shrine in close proximity, creates a quintessentially Izu landscape in which nature and faith are one.

The Shimoda City area is also a land rich in history, known as the stage of the opening of the country at the end of the Edo period. In the city center, old temples and historic sites connected to Perry's arrival and the opening, such as Ryosenji and Hofukuji, are scattered, allowing one to touch the history of the era when Japan opened its doors to the world. Near the coast stands Shirahama Shrine, also called the oldest shrine in Izu, which is also a popular place of worship. The views of the open sea from Cape Irozaki at the peninsula's southern tip and Shimoda's fine hot springs are appealing as well, making this a region where sea, history, and faith can be enjoyed all at once. Ancient shrines like Hachiman Shrine quietly bear a part of Shimoda's deep history.

Related Information

Details on Hachiman Shrine can be found in research materials on Engishiki shrines and in information from Shimoda City and local tourism sources. This shrine is one of the candidate shrines for the shikinaisha Kami-no-Mikoto Shrine recorded in the Engishiki Jimmyocho, and is a shrine conveying the faith of Izu continuing from antiquity. Note that within Shimoda City there is also Shimoda Hachiman Shrine in the central downtown, which likewise enshrines the Hachiman deity and is known for a grand annual festival in which fourteen drum platforms parade; this is an entirely different shrine from the Hachiman Shrine of Kisami, and care should be taken not to confuse them. Many shikinaisha and ancient shrines are distributed across the southern Izu Peninsula, and Hachiman Shrine is one of them, a precious presence conveying the region's history and faith. When visiting ancient shrines, one should bear in mind that these are places of faith long protected by local people, and worship with respect.

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