Arata-Hachiman Shrine – Kagoshima City, Japan –

スポンサーリンク

この記事は鹿児島地元人のララが書いています。

The shrine is located at Shimoarata Town of Kagoshima City, Japan. The shrine is believe to have a spiritual power for safe birth of children. I took my pregnant wife to the shrine to obtain good luck for her safe birth.

スポンサーリンク

Visit to Arata-Hachiman Shrine

We visited Arata-Hachiman Shrine which is the middle of residential area of Kagoshima City.

arata-hachiman shrine in kagoshima, japan

The shrine has more than 1,000 years of history. Following picture shows old stone towers with the name of the shrine curved on their surface.

aratahachiman shrine kagoshima city japan

The shrine was said to be built in the 12th century (end of Heian Era) as the branch shrine of Kagoshima Jingu Shrine, which is known as the 1st shrine of Osumi Domain.

See Article of Kagoshima Jingu Shrine

 

Shrine’s God

The shrine worships “Ojin” Emperor (15th emperor of Japan) and “Tamayori-hime” (Mother of 1st emperor “Jinmu”) and “Jinko-kogo” (Mother of Ojin Emperor). By the way, the current Kinjo Emperor of Heisei Era is the 126th emperor of Japan).

Ojin Emperor is generally knows as the name of “Hachiman” in Japan. The God Hachiman had been popular among Samurai worriers such as Genji and Heishi clans. Also, the God is said to have the power to give birth to healthy baby of pure mind. “Tamayori-hime” and “Jinko-kogo” are also known as the God for safe birth of baby.

Oh? I found a small shrine building at the gate of Arata-Hachiman Shrine. The white wooden plate says that the shrine worships “Kushiiwamatonokami” or the God who guards gates of shrines.

くしいわまとかみ

 

Huge Camphor Tree

I think that there are many camphor trees at gardes of Japanese shrines. There is also a huge camphor tree at the garden of Arata-Hachima shrine.

荒田八幡のクスノキ

Thick branch of the tree stretch to the sky vigorouslly. The tree is full of the power of life! It has the sacred rope “shimenawa” around itself. The circumference of the tree is as long as 4 meter!

荒田八幡神社のクスノキ

The tree has lived for more than about 500 years.

 

Pray for Safe Birth

This is the main building of the shrine. The shrine is in the middle of busy city residential area, but the atmosphere is very relaxing and the air is full of something spiritual.

鹿児島市荒田八幡神社の拝殿

Clean water is springing up. The water was a little bit cold. We cleaned our hands before prayers to the God.

荒田八幡神社の手水

We bowed twice before clapping hands twice.

荒田八幡神社の拝殿

I hope my wife and our baby will be OK.

 

Shreine Seal & Good Luck Charm

I received a shrine seal of Arata-Hachiman Shrine. I have visited several shrines in Kagoshima such as Kagoshima Jingu Shrine, Kirishima Jingu Shrine, Kirishima Higashi ShrineNitta Shrine and Hirakiki Shrine. Today’s visit to the shrine added power of the God to safe birth and my wife could reduce her anxiety of first birth in her life. 

鹿児島市荒田八幡神社の御朱印

There are many good luck chams of safe birth. They are very cute!

鹿児島市荒田八幡神社の安産守

 

God Ebisu and Tankansa

Unique ston statues stand beside the main shrine building.

荒田八幡神社

Left stone statue is “Ebisu” or one of the Seven Deities of Good Fortune. Other 6 Gods are not Japanese but from foreign countries. Ebisu is the God of business prosperity and huge harvest of cereals. On the sly I prayed for winning the lottery ticket!

Right stone statue is Tanokansa or the God of paddy field. He has a rice scoop on his right hand. You can find many Tankansa statues at the corner of the paddy fields in the area of southern Kyushu.

 

Colorful Sacred Horse

When I was cheering up runners of the 1st Kagoshima Marathon (6th March 2016) at the street near the Arata-Hachiman Shrine, I happened to discover a colorful horse at the shrine.

Actually the shrine was celebrating the Hatsuuma (first horse) festival on 25th January of lunar calendar. The horse came to the Arata-Hachiman shrine after it was dedicated at Kagoshima Jingu Shrine.

荒田八幡神社の飾り馬

The horse puts very colorful clothes. The clothes must be heavy for him… I felt a bit sorry for the horse but it looks cute!

荒田八幡神社の飾り馬

I was so lucky to witness the festival!

 

Shrine Video

I hope you can feel relaxing atmosphere of the shrine if you watch the following video. I am sorry for my poor skill for taking videos.

 

 

Other Information

Access

  • Tram : Get off tram at Arata-Hachiman-Mae
  • Bus : About 50 minutes from Kagoshima Airport
  • Taxi : About 10 minutes from Kagoshima Chuo Station

TEL

099−252−6744

Map

Shrine for Safe Birth

荒田八幡宮で安産祈願~鹿児島市荒田のオアシス的な神社~

スポンサーリンク

この記事は鹿児島地元人のララが書いています。

鹿児島市内にある荒田八幡宮のご紹介です。

安産にご利益があるので、妊娠中の妻と一緒に参拝しました。

住宅街の真ん中にあるのに、都会の騒がしさを感じさせない、不思議な癒しの空間です。

あなたも、この神社で忙しい日常をリセットしてみませんか?

(さらに…)

タイトルとURLをコピーしました