Mamada Hachiman Shrine

Nestled in Oyama City, in the southern part of Tochigi Prefecture, Mamade Hachimangū is a shrine rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. Its precincts cover  around 66,000 m² (20,000 tsubo), part of which is open to the public as Mamade Hachiman Park - a beloved green oasis for local citizens.

History of Mamade Hachimangū

The origins of Mamade Hachimangū are said to date back roughly 1,300 years, to the mid-Nara period (Tenpyō era).

• 10th century (ca. 939): During the rebellion of Taira no Masakado, the warrior Fujiwara no Hidesato prayed for victory at the shrine. After triumphing in battle, he dedicated sacred rice fields (shintōden) in gratitude. From this time, the area around the shrine came to be known as Mammada no Sato.
• 1189: Minamoto no Yoritomo, founder of the Kamakura shogunate, visited the shrine on the eve of his campaign against the Ōshū Fujiwara. He planted a pine tree here as a prayer for victory. The tree was treasured by locals for centuries until it withered in 1905.
• Edo period: With the development of the Nikkō Kaidō highway, Mammada flourished as a post town (Mamade-juku), located midway between Edo and Nikkō. The poet Matsuo Bashō is said to have stayed here during his travels. Emissaries from the Imperial Court, journeying annually to Nikkō Tōshōgū, also stopped to worship at the shrine, recognising its distinguished lineage.
• 1712: The shrine received the high court rank of Shōichii (Senior First Rank).
• Early 1800s: A devastating fire destroyed the shrine’s buildings. Locals enshrined the ashes in a temporary hall to continue their worship.
• 1851: Reconstruction was finally completed. The master carpenters involved were also engaged in the grand restoration of Nikkō Tōshōgū, and their fine craftsmanship remains visible in the shrine’s detailed carvings.

Enshrined Deities

Main Deities

• Honda Wake no Mikoto (Emperor Ōjin, the 15th Emperor of Japan): Blessings -Victory in contests, success and prosperity, protection from misfortune and bad directions, financial good fortune
• Okinaga Tarashihime no Mikoto (Empress Jingū, mother of Emperor Ōjin): Blessings - Conception, safe childbirth, child-rearing, academic achievement

Auxiliary and Subordinate Shrines

• Itsukushima Shrine (Benzaiten): Prosperity, performing arts, academics
• Hachiryū Shrine: Agriculture, fishing, protection from misfortune
• Awashima Shrine: Women’s health, childbirth, conception
• Atago Shrine: Fire protection, disaster prevention
• Inari Shrine: Business prosperity, industry, household safety, traffic safety
• Densha Shrine: Agriculture, lightning protection, warding off misfortune

Festivals and Living Traditions

Every year on May 5, Mamade Hachimangū hosts the spectacular Mamade no Jagamaita (Snake Festival). In 2019, this ritual was designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. The festival features seven giant snakes, each more than 15 meters long, converging in a dramatic performance. With the shrine’s fresh spring greenery as a backdrop, the event draws crowds of worshippers and visitors alike, who are captivated by its powerful, otherworldly atmosphere.

On the Grounds of Mamade Hachimangū

The Main Hall (Honden), rebuilt in 1851 after a devastating fire, stands in the Gongen-zukuri style with a cypress-bark roof. Its richly detailed carvings were crafted by master artisans who also worked on the restoration of Nikkō Tōshōgū. Enshrined here are Honda Wake no Mikoto (Emperor Ōjin), worshipped as the protective deity Hachiman-sama, and Okinaga Tarashihime no Mikoto (Empress Jingū), who grants blessings for childbirth, child-rearing, and academic success. The hall has also gained modern renown as a place of financial fortune after the appearance of a mystical white snake image on its floor. The Worship Hall (Haiden), also rebuilt in 1851 and later expanded in the 1960s, allows more visitors to gather in prayer. Both halls are adorned with elaborate wood carvings that reflect the skill of Edo-period craftsmen. Dating back to 1713, the Second Torii Gate remains among the shrine’s most ancient surviving features.

Other notable shrines within the precincts include the Gassha-den, which houses deities of fire prevention, disaster protection, and women’s health; Itsukushima Shrine (Benten-sama), a spiritual site surrounded by water and revered as a source of blessings for the arts, beauty, and prosperity; and Hachiryū Shrine, closely tied to the Jagamaita Festival, where miniature serpent figures are enshrined. The scenic Benten Pond (Nakadame), once used for winter skating, remains central to the shrine’s traditions as the place where the sacred serpents perform the water-drinking rite during the Jagamaita Festival.

Among the sacred features are the 500-year-old Sacred Cedar, the Meoto-sugi (Married Cedars) symbolising harmony, and several pairs of Komainu (guardian lion-dogs) - one pair beloved for their unusually expressive faces. The precincts also preserve a sumo ring, once used for children’s matches and professional tours, and now known as a filming location.

Historic landmarks include the site of Yoritomo’s Pine Tree, planted by Minamoto no Yoritomo before his campaign against the Ōshū Fujiwara clan; a monument inscribed with a haiku by Matsuo Bashō, who stayed in Mamade-juku; and the Safe Return Frog (Kaeru Statue), inspired by an Edo-period tale of healing. Visitors may also test their strength with the Chikara-ishi (Power Stones).

The grounds are surrounded by a lush sacred forest and feature tranquil ponds where carp and waterfowl swim. Designated city Natural Monuments, the forest’s konara oak and cedar trees provide a habitat for raccoon dogs, wild hares, and many small animals and insects seldom seen in urban areas. To the west, vast rice fields stretch toward the Omoi River, from whose banks visitors can enjoy sweeping views of the Nasu and Nikkō mountain ranges, Mt. Akagi, Mt. Asama, and even distant Mt. Fuji. This remarkable landscape has been honored as one of the Top 100 Countryside Views of Tochigi.

Scattered across the grounds are the Hachiman Kofun burial mounds, a reminder that this site has been an important cultural hub since ancient times.