Shirahata Shrine
白旗神社
Shirahata Shrine honors Minamoto no Yoritomo and his son, offering prayers for victory and academic success.
What it is
- Shrine dedicated to Minamoto no Yoritomo and his son Sanetomo.
- Yoritomo founded the Kamakura shogunate and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
- Sanetomo was the third Kamakura shogun.
- Established in 1888, combining earlier separate shrines.
What to see
- Black-lacquered shrine building.
- Minamoto family crest displayed.
- Crest has five dwarf bamboo leaves and three gentian flowers.
Getting there
- Located next to Yanagihara Pond.
- Just east of Wakamiya Shrine.
In detail
Shirahata Shrine is located next to Yanagihara Pond, just east of Wakamiya Shrine. Enshrined here are Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199), the founder of both the Kamakura shogunate (warrior-led government) and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, and his son Sanetomo (1192–1219), the third Kamakura shogun. Both men were deified after death and enshrined on the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu grounds, originally in separate shrines. These shrines were combined in 1888, when Shirahata Shrine was established on its current site.
The Minamoto family crest, which consists of five dwarf bamboo leaves and three gentian flowers, is prominently displayed on the black-lacquered Shirahata Shrine. The name shirahata (white flag) refers to the banners used by the Minamoto clan in battle, which inspired Yoritomo’s deity name: Shirahata Daimyojin (Great Luminous Deity of the White Flags). Visitors pray to Yoritomo, a conquering warrior and distinguished nobleman, for victory and success in academic pursuits, while Sanetomo is remembered for his artistic and literary talent.
Text: 観光庁 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース. Reproduced unchanged. The notes above were written from that text by Japan Gems.
Where it is
Shirahata Shrine Open in Google Maps
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