Kama Hachimangu: The Sickle Shrine 鎌八幡宮

Official explanation

Tucked behind Niusakadono Shrine, Kama Hachimangu is a large, sacred red-bark oak tree in which dozens of crescent-shaped sickles have been thrust, their blades deeply embedded in the trunk. According to the Kiizoku Fudoki chronicle compiled in the late Edo period (1603–1868), this was how the locals, who depended on agriculture and forestry for their livelihood, made entreaties to the gods.

The long-standing custom appears to still live on, as a few shiny new sickles can be found embedded among the much older rust-covered implements. To maintain the health of the tree, the shrine now requests that worshippers write their wishes on sickle-shaped prayer plaques (ema), which are then hung near the torii gate in front of the sacred tree.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.