Benkei-zuka (弁慶塚), Goryō Jinja (御霊神社) & Batō Kannon (馬頭観音)

Benkei-zuka (弁慶塚)

First torii of Tsurumine Hachimangu

Behind an apartment building near the first torii of Tsurumine Hachimangu is a stone monument known as Benkei-zuka (弁慶塚).  Benkei was a warrior monk who served Minamoto no Yoshitsune and is well known from the Noh play "Benkei on the Bridge (橋弁慶)."

According to the sign behind the monument, Inage Shigenari, the lord of Inage-no-sho (manor) in Musashi Province (present-day Kawasaki), built a bridge over the Sagami River to honor his late wife.  The completion ceremony was held on December 28, 1198. Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate, attended the event along with many of his retainers.

On his way back, as Yoritomo passed Tsurumine Hachimangu, the spirits of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Minamoto no Yukiie, and other deceased relatives appeared before him.  His horse was startled, causing him to fall.  He suffered serious injuries and died the following month, in January 1199.  Later, local residents built Benkei-zuka to honor the spirits of Yoshitsune and his family.

Goryo Jinja (御霊神社)

A slightly different version of the story appears on Chigasaki City's website, which states that Benkei also appeared among the spirits that Yoritomo encountered.  This version also mentions that the Shinto shrine Goryo Jinja (御霊神社), located further south, is said to enshrine the spirit of Yoshitsune.  Historical records indicate that a memorial tower once stood in this area, and Benkei-zuka was likely constructed as a restoration of that site.

Torii and sando of Goryo Jinja (taken on December 18, 2023)

Benkei-zuka

Another Benkei-zuka, using the kasagi of an old stone torii, is located on the sidewalk behind the first torii of Tsurumine Hachimangu.

Bato Kannon

Further along the sando (pathway) leading to Tsurumine Hachimangu, there is a small park called Tsurumine Sando Rekishi Hiroba (鶴嶺参道歴史ひろば).  Within the park stands a Bato Kannon (馬頭観音) statue, a Buddhist deity associated with the protection of horses.

This particular statue, dated 1795, has a relatively calm expression, which is somewhat unusual, as Bato Kannon is often depicted with a fierce appearance.  It is believed that the statue originally had a carved horse’s head on top, which has since chipped away.