Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 10 sec. at ƒ/8
Shrine Crest Crane
On both of the huge paper lanterns between the street and the torii gate are beautiful motifs of cranes, which is the symbol used on the shrine’s crest and is found on several structures throughout Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine (Hiratsuka, Japan).
At the time of the shrine’s founding in 381 CE, the shrine’s original name was Tsurumineyama Hachimangu (鶴峯山八幡宮) Shrine. The “Tsuru / 鶴” part of the name means “crane” in Japanese.
Although the name of the shrine changed over the years, the symbol of the crane as the shrine's crest has continued for more than 1,600 years.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 10 sec. at ƒ/14
Torii Gate at Shrine
The first of two torii gates at Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine in the coastal town of Hiratsuka, located about 60 km (38 mi) southwest of Tokyo.
Naturally, there are a pair of komainu (狛犬), or so-called “lion-dogs” on both sides of the torii gate to protect the shrine from evil.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 25 sec. at ƒ/20
Chochin Paper Lanterns
(Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine, Hiratsuka, Japan)
The sidewalk leading to the shrine is lined with a stone fence that has four rows of lanterns with the names of individuals, shops, and companies who made donations to the shrine for its maintenance and upkeep.
Unlike a typical signboard on the side of a highway, I actually appreciate seeing the names of sponsors of local shrines and seeing first-hand how the funds are used to preserve the local culture, traditional customs, festivals, and used to pay the artisan craftsmen who preserve the buildings, structures, lanterns, torii gates, koi fish ponds, and gardens.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
53 mm ISO 100 for 6 sec. at ƒ/10
Temizuya Water Purification at Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine
(Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan)
When entering shrine grounds, you need to “purify” yourself before approaching the main worship hall (haiden) of the shrine complex that is open to the public.
As you approach the shrine, there is a small-roofed structure (temizuya) on the left that has a huge stone basin with running water and bamboo ladles (hishaku) resting right above the basin.
After dipping the ladle into the basin, you pour the water over each hand so that the “dirty” water drips down onto the stones placed around the base to catch such water, thus keeping the water in the basin fresh and clean. After this purification ritual, you can then approach the shrine’s haiden worship hall.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 8 sec. at ƒ/10
Three Subordinate Shrines
(Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine, Kanagawa Pref., Japan)
Shinmeisha Shrine (神明社)
The small shrine on the left enshrines three deities of success and prosperity in business.
Wakamiya Shrine (若宮社)
The slightly larger shrine in the center enshrines a guardian deity for parenting and children.
Suwa Shrine (諏訪社)
The small shrine on the right enshrines a deity of good luck and traffic safety.
All three shrines have an ancient style of Shinto shrine architecture with forked finials called chigi (千木) that extend out and above the roofline.
An old document from the year 804 references the prescribed dimensions of the finials, which have both a structural and decorative purpose.
Open-ended slots at the ends of the finials indicate that a female deity is enshrined, where a vertical slot indicates a male deity being enshrined.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 8 sec. at ƒ/10
Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine
(Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Pref., Japan)
Viewing the shrine at this angle helps illustrate the use of metal fittings that are placed on the ends of rafters that extend out to the edge of the eaves and at the base of pillars.
Such fittings are often made of iron, copper, or gilt bronze, and are not only decorative (飾金具/kazarikanagu), but also help to protect the ends of structural elements from weathering (小口金物/koguchikanagu).
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 5 sec. at ƒ/10
Offertory Box of Main Hall
(Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine, Hiratsuka, Japan)
The wooden box at the top of the steps is an offertory box (saisenbako) for making offerings to the enshrined deity. Offerings were originally made in the form of rice and gradually changed to coins in the 15th and 16th centuries.
I especially like the shrine’s crest of a crane on the front of the saisenbako. The courtyard lights make the gilt bronze fittings shine more than what you’d normally experience in the middle of the afternoon.
1. Large shamoji (rice paddle or rice scoop): a traditional symbol of the bond between mothers and wives as the shamoji gets passed down as an heirloom symbolizing the family duties inherited in the marriage. The enshrined deity blesses parents and children in their daily lives, and whereas every home has a rice scoop, this rice scoop is “blessed” with prayers or slogans to be passed onto worshipers to the shrine (from left to right).
Real shamoji are naturally used to “meshi wo toru” (飯を取る) "to get some rice," which sounds like “meshi toru” (召し取る) "to get a woman for marriage." So there is a symbolic pun for the shamoji as well for young men hoping to find a bride.
Writings on the shamoji are as follows reading right to left:
商売繁昌: Prosperous Business
天下泰平: World Peace
一国一社の八幡宮: Literal translation is: Hachimangu of One Shrine of One Country. Roughly translated as the one and only holy site (Hachimangu) of all the shrines in all of the (Soushu) Region (which is modern Kanagawa Prefecture). Between 724 and 749 CE, Emperor Shomu visited this site and recited a Lotus Sutra at the shrine declaring it to be the only sacred place (a Hachimangu) in the whole of the Soushu Region (now Kanagawa Prefecture)．
鎮地大神: Chinji Okami = the name given to the shrine by Emperor Suiko (between 593 to 628 CE), which means “God for the Peaceful Land.”
平塚八幡宮： Hiratsuka Hachimangu (current name of shrine as of 1978)
五穀豊穣：Bountiful Harvest
除災招福: Warding Off Evil
2. The straw rope is called “shimenawa,” the tassles are just decorative, and the white rice paper are called “shide.”
The shimenawa (sacred straw/hemp rope) on a tree, rock, or strung up between two poles, rocks, trees, etc. indicated the border between realm of the spirit and humans and is used to ward off evil spirits from holy places or holy objects.
The shide are just one component of any device used in purification (shimenawa rope, ornamental belt worn by sumo wrestlers, etc.), but are most often suspended from sacred border ropes (shimenawa) to demarcate a sacred or a ritual space. In such cases, they symbolize sacred borders.
3. The shimenawa (sacred straw/hemp rope) is the border between the realm of the spirit and humans and wards off evil spirits.
This shrine belongs to a group of 6 Hachimangu shrines that belonged to one domain under were split up from one main shrine hundreds of years ago so that commoners could more easily access the enshrined deities for healthy families, healthy children, and bountiful harvests.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
80 mm ISO 100 for 30 sec. at ƒ/22
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
34 mm ISO 100 for 25 sec. at ƒ/14
Reflections of Torii Gate in Koi Pond
(Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Pref., Japan)
Among the many subordinate shrines found throughout the Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine complex, the Benzaiten Shrine is probably the smallest of all. The shrine is on a small island in a pond of koi fish and ducks. The exact age of the pond is not clear, but documents from the Edo Period (between 1603 and 1867) make reference to the pond as a sacred spot.
This shrine was gifted to the main shrine complex in 2011, and is popular for visitors wishing for good luck or fortune in matters relating to finances, entertainment, or personal beauty.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
34 mm ISO 100 for 20 sec. at ƒ/14
Hiratsuka Hachimangu Shrine
Located in the coastal city of Hiratuksa along the Shonan coastline in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, this Shinto shrine is one of the six major shrines built for the old Sagami province, which is now Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Annual events include the Hamaori Festival, the Bonbori Festival, Shichi-go-san, Cherry Blossom Festival, and more. The courtyards are said to be especially beautiful when the cherry blossoms are out in spring and the roses are in bloom in early autumn.
Originally built under the direction of Emperor Nintoku in the year 380, this shrine was regarded as the protector of land for all of Sagami (modern-day Kanagawa).
The deities enshrined in the main shrine, and numerous subordinate shrines draw visitors wishing to improve company finances, get married, have safe a childbirth, raise healthy children, for physical beauty, for success in studies, for success in the entertainment industry, for good luck in life, for longevity in battle, for warding off evil, for a bountiful harvest, and more.
The shrine affords super easy to access with a flat approach from Hiratsuka Station on the JR Tokaido Main Line. If you have pets or a small family and prefer to drive, there are several coin parking lots in the neighborhood surrounding the shrine grounds including a huge underground parking garage behind the shrine.
Unlike Tokyo, parking is really cheap. I only paid 300 yen for parking during my photo shoot which was almost 6 hours long.
Driving from the direction of Shizuoka or Odawara, or from the direction of Tokyo or Yokohama, all you have to do is get on National Route #1 until you reach Hiratsuka. The highway runs right next to the shrine and if you check out the pictures in my blog there is no way you can miss the shrine! It is the only shrine on Route 1 between Tokyo and Odawara with a huge torii gate and a high wall of chochin lanterns that stretch along the highway.
Visit my blog for about 12 other photos, access links, references in both English and Japanese, and historical details of what I could find on this nice little shrine that has a lot to offer visitors.
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