Hiratsuka Hachimangū Shrine (平塚八幡宮)

Haiden of Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine (平塚八幡宮)

Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine (平塚八幡宮), formerly known as Tsurumineyama Hachimangu Shrine (鶴峯山八幡宮), is a Hachiman shrine standing north of Hiratsuka Station.  The shrine currently enshrines the kami Emperor Ojin (応神天皇), Empress Jingu (神功皇后), and Takenouchi-no-sukune (武内宿禰).

The shrine's origin is said to be a shrine built by Emperor Nintoku in 380, where he enshrined his father Emperor Ojin, when people were suffering from a devastating earthquake that hit the area at the time.

Another earthquake hit the area again during Empress Suiko's reign.  The shrine's goshuin bears to phrase "鎮地大神 (Chinji Okami)," meaning "god for peaceful land," was taken from a letter she wrote to the shrine after this earthquake.  She also ordered the construction of a new shrine building.

During the Sengoku period, the shrine along with its records and artifacts were destroyed by fire due to the battles going on.

In 1591, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo shogunate, donated 50 koku of land to the shrine.  He paid a visit to show his respect during the Keicho era and ordered Ina Tadatsugu, holding the position of Bizen-no-kami, to reconstruct the shrine.

Torii with a sign engraved "八幡神社"

In 1874, based on the government order, the name of the shrine was changed to Hachiman Shrine (八幡神社).  The stone torii standing over the north sando (北参道) still has a sign engraved "八幡神社."

The current shrine building was built in 1928 after the previous one was destroyed in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.

In August 1978, the shrine was renamed Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine.

Ducks walking down the sando

Satsuki

Kochi

The shrine seems to be known for its ducks.  There are also two shinme (神馬), which literally translates to sacred horses, Satsuki (皐月) (born on May 26, 2019) and Kochi (東風) (born on April 15, 2022).  Both were born in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture.  Visitors can meet the horses at 10:00 AM - 12:00 and 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM.

Memorial Monuments of the War Dead

There are two memorial monuments of the war dead, engraved "忠魂碑" and "明治丗七八年戦没紀念," on the northwest side of Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine.

Dosojin (道祖神) & Sengen-sha (浅間社)

To the left of Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine are the dosojin (道祖神) and a small shrine of Sengen-sha (浅間社).

Subordinate Shrines

Shinmei-sha (神明社), Wakamiya-sha (若宮社) & Suwa-sha (諏訪社)

To the right of the haiden of Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine are three subordinate shrines:

1. Shinmei-sha (神明社), enshrining Amaterasu Omikami (天照大神), Kotoshironushi no Mikoto (事代主命), and Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康公)
2. Wakamiya-sha (若宮社), enshrining Emperor Nintoku (仁徳天皇)
3. Suwa-sha (諏訪社), enshrining Takeminakata no Mikoto (武御名方命)

Taishi-do (太子堂)

Behind the Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine is the subordinate shrine of Taishi-do (太子堂) enshrining Prince Shotoku (聖徳太子) worshipped as the god of construction.

Nishi-oike/Nishi-miike (西御池) & Hiratsuka Benzaiten-sha (平塚弁財天社)

Hiratsuka Benzaiten-sha (平塚弁財天社) was founded on March 2011 by enshrining the kami of Benten-sha (弁天社), a subordinate shrine of Komagata Jinja (駒形神社) in the Okazaki District of Hiratsuka, in Nishi-oike or Nishi-miike (西御池) which literally translates to west pond.  A small red shrine building is built on the island in the middle of the pond with a red torii placed in front.  Hiratsuka Benzaiten is one of the members of the Shonan Hiratsuka Shichifukujin (湘南ひらつか七福神).

Higashi-oike/Higashi-miike (東御池) & Tsurumineyama Inari-sha (鶴峯山稲荷社)

Tsurumineyama Inari-sha (鶴峯山稲荷社) was founded on October 2016 by enshrining the kami of Kawayoke Inari Jinja (川除稲荷神社), a subordinate shrine of Yasaka Jinja (八坂神社), in the Higashi Yahata District of Hiratsuka, in Higashi-oike or Higashi-miike (東御池) which literally translates to east pond.