Tate Jinja Shrine 館神社

[Full Version]

Tate Jinja Shrine stands on the site of what was once Dobutsu Fort, built here over 500 years ago. Dobutsu Fort was a yakata, which is quite different from a typical castle. It was overseen by Akamatsu Yoshitoki, a retainer to the powerful Nambu family that once ruled part of present-day Aomori, Iwate, and Akita prefectures. The castle was attacked and destroyed in 1591 during the Kunohe Rebellion, a war of succession among the Nambu. While none of the original structures survive, the remnants of a moat can be seen on the outskirts of the shrine grounds. The entrance to the fort was located where the torii gate now stands.

Tate Jinja is dedicated to Hachiman, a Shinto deity of war, and the current building is the result of a reconstruction project that took place in 1981. The shrine hosts a large festival every year in late July.

The shrine is one of the designated sights along the Michinoku Coastal Trail, a long-distance walking course that passes through the nearby town of Hashikami. The gently sloping path that leads up to the shrine is flanked by tranquil rows of Japanese cedars (Cryptomeria japonica). The enormous Japanese fir (Abies firma) within the shrine’s precincts is one of the largest fir trees in Aomori Prefecture.