Gokoku Hachimangu Shrine

Gokoku Hachimangu Shrine is an old Shrinto shrine said to have been built more than 1,300 years ago. It has long been a destination where historic figures, particularly warriors, would come to pray.

The shrine buildings took on their current form in the 17th century, when the Maeda family (who ruled over this area as feudal lords) paid for renovations and the construction of new structures; the shrine buildings still bear the golden ume plum blossom crest of the Maeda family, in recognition of this history.

Today, this shrine is an Important Cultural Property, and kept in excellent condition. This includes its elaborate wood-shingled roof being replaced roughly every quarter-century, with the most recent work on it having been done in 2005 and 2017.

At the base of the stairway to the shrine’s entrance is a bronze statue of Minamoto no Yoshinaka, a prominent warrior for the Minamoto Clan during the Genpei War. For visitors interested in learning more about the Genpei War, the Kurikara Genpei War Museum and Rest Area is located not far from this statue.