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Kanazawa Hakkei: History, Scenic Views, and Pilgrimage to Biwajima Shrine, Seto Shrine, and Shomyoji

Kanazawa Hakkei (Eight Views of Kanazawa) in Yokohama refers to eight scenic spots celebrated since the Edo period and immortalized in Hiroshige woodblock prints. The centerpiece is Biwajima Shrine and Seto Shrine, linked to Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hojo Masako. This guide covers history, how to visit, and pilgrimage routes.

Contents

MOKUJI

What Is Kanazawa Hakkei? — Origins and Hiroshige's Legacy

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Biwajima Shrine — Hojo Masako's Benzaiten and the Patron Deity of Success

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Seto Shrine and Shomyoji — Two Pillars of Kanazawa History

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Kanazawa Hakkei Today — Pilgrimage Old and New

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Summary — Planning Your Kanazawa Hakkei Pilgrimage

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Utagawa Hiroshige, "Seto Autumn Moon" from the Eight Views of Kanazawa — woodblock print depicting Seto Shrine and Biwajima under an autumn moon, Tenpō era

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain / Utagawa Hiroshige

Kanazawa Hakkei — “Eight Views of Kanazawa” — refers to eight scenic spots scattered across the Kanazawa district of Yokohama, celebrated since the Edo period and immortalized in the woodblock prints of Utagawa Hiroshige. At the heart of these eight views lies Biwajima Shrine and Seto Shrine, where the autumn moon once reflected on the still waters of Hiragata Bay in a scene known as “Seto no Shūgetsu” — the Autumn Moon at Seto.

What Is Kanazawa Hakkei? — Origins and Hiroshige’s Legacy

The Eight Views and Their Chinese Inspiration

The concept of “eight views” originates in China’s celebrated Xiaoxiang Eight Views (瀟湘八景), a set of landscapes in Hunan Province that inspired poets and painters across East Asia. In the late seventeenth century, a Chinese Buddhist monk named Shinsetsu Zenji, who had come to Japan during the Edo period, is said to have selected eight scenic spots in what is now Kanazawa, Yokohama, modeling them on the Chinese tradition. The inlets, islands, and meadows of the Musashi province coastline resonated with scholars and travelers of the time.

How Hiroshige Made the Views Famous

Utagawa Hiroshige produced a celebrated series of eight woodblock prints depicting Kanazawa Hakkei during the Tenpō era (1830s). His compositions — boats returning at dusk, temples in evening snow, the moon rising over a small island shrine — reached the common people of Edo and established Kanazawa as one of the most admired scenic destinations near the capital.

Biwajima Shrine, where Hojo Masako is said to have enshrined the Benzaiten from Chikubushima — the Risshin Benzaiten floating on Hiragata Bay

Photo by あきとし。 / Toku

The eight views and their associated locations are as follows:

View Name

Reading

Associated Location

Kozumi no Yau (Night Rain at Kozumi)

こずみのやう

Near Teko Shrine

Shōmyō no Banshō (Evening Bell at Shōmyōji)

しょうみょうのばんしょう

Shomyoji

Ottomo no Kihan (Returning Sails at Ottomo)

おっとものきはん

Ottomo Coast

Susaki no Seiran (Clearing Storm at Susaki)

すさきのせいらん

Near Susaki Shrine

Seto no Shūgetsu (Autumn Moon at Seto)

せとのしゅうげつ

Seto Shrine / Biwajima Shrine

Hiragata no Rakugan (Wild Geese at Hiragata)

ひらかたのらくがん

Hiragata Bay

Nojima no Sekishō (Sunset Glow at Nojima)

のじまのせきしょう

Nojima Island

Uchikawa no Bosetsu (Evening Snow at Uchikawa)

うちかわのぼせつ

Uchikawa Inlet

Of the eight views, “Seto no Shūgetsu” is the only one named after a shrine — a reflection of the centrality of Seto Shrine and Biwajima Shrine to the entire Kanazawa landscape.

Biwajima Shrine — Hojo Masako’s Benzaiten and the Patron Deity of Success

Seto Shrine, founded in 1180 by Minamoto no Yoritomo — the setting for "Seto no Shūgetsu," the Autumn Moon of the Eight Views of Kanazawa

Photo by あきとし。 / Toku

A Kamakura-Period Shrine on a Biwa-Shaped Island

Biwajima Shrine sits on a small circular island at the tip of a narrow causeway jutting into Hiragata Bay. The island is said to resemble a biwa (Japanese lute) in shape, giving both the island and the shrine their name. The enshrined deity is Ichikishima-hime no Mikoto, one of the three goddesses of the sea.

According to tradition, when Minamoto no Yoritomo founded Seto Shrine in 1180 by enshrining a deity from Izu, his wife Hojo Masako enshrined the Benzaiten (goddess of music, water, and fortune) from Chikubushima Island on Lake Biwa here on this small island. The choice to place a Benzaiten on a sea-facing island modeled on Chikubushima reveals both Masako’s devotion and her aesthetic sensibility.

The “Risshin Benzaiten” — Patron of Worldly Advancement

Biwajima Shrine has been known by several names over the centuries. “Biwajima Benzaiten” for the island shape; “Funayose Benzaiten” (the Benzaiten where boats dock) for its waterfront location. But the name that has resonated most deeply is “Risshin Benzaiten” — the Benzaiten of Rising in the World.

The divine statue is a standing figure (risshin, 立身, meaning both “standing” and “rising in the world”), and the name is further associated with Hojo Masako, who enshrined the deity here and herself rose to become the de facto ruler of the Kamakura shogunate. For these reasons, the shrine has long been associated with success in career, examinations, and advancement — a tradition that continues today. Votive offerings and ema tablets from students and professionals fill the small island shrine throughout the year.

Goshuin (pilgrim seals) for Biwajima Shrine are issued at the main shrine office of Seto Shrine — two types are available (one for Seto Shrine, one for Biwajima Shrine), each at 500 yen.

Getting There

Biwajima Shrine is just two minutes on foot from Kanazawa Hakkei Station on the Keikyu Line — one of the most accessible historic shrines in Yokohama. Walk toward the bay from the station exit, and the causeway to the biwa-shaped island comes into view almost immediately.

Seto Shrine and Shomyoji — Two Pillars of Kanazawa History

Shomyoji temple and the Ajigaike garden, founded by Hojo Sanetoki of the Kanazawa Hojo — the site of the Eight Views scene "Evening Bell at Shomyoji"

Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA

Seto Shrine — Founded by Yoritomo, Revered by Ieyasu

Seto Shrine was founded by Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1180, when he enshrined a deity from the Mishima Grand Shrine in Izu to protect maritime traffic along the Kanazawa coast. The shrine served as a guardian of the sea lanes during the Kamakura period and continued to attract warrior patrons long after the shogunate fell. In 1590, Tokugawa Ieyasu visited the shrine and issued a vermilion-seal land grant of 100 koku — a patronage continued by successive Tokugawa shoguns.

Today, Seto Shrine is the mother shrine (honsha) of Biwajima Shrine. The two share a single shrine complex on the shore of Hiragata Bay, and it is here that visitors collect goshuin for both shrines. The wooded precincts, with their views over the bay, preserve a trace of the moonlit scene Hiroshige captured in “Seto no Shūgetsu.”

Shomyoji — Evening Bell and the Kanazawa Hojo Legacy

Shomyoji was founded by Hojo Sanetoki, the progenitor of the Kanazawa Hojo branch of the Hojo clan, as the family temple of the Kanazawa Hojo. The temple belongs to the Shingon Ritsu school of Buddhism and is a designated National Historic Site. Its garden — centered on a pond called Ajigaike — retains the form of a Pure Land garden tradition. The adjacent Kanazawa Bunko (“Kanazawa Library”), also established by Sanetoki, housed an enormous collection of texts and is considered the first private library of the warrior class.

The view “Shōmyō no Banshō” — the Evening Bell of Shōmyōji — captures the sound of this temple’s bell at dusk drifting over the Kanazawa landscape. Even today, the temple bell rings in the evenings, connecting visitors to the Edo-period imagery of Hiroshige. Shomyoji is about 10 minutes on foot from Kanazawa Bunko Station on the Keikyu Line.

Ryugeji — Ancient Temple of Yoritomo and Masako

Ryugeji (Kanazawa Hakkei) is an ancient temple in Kanazawa associated with both Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hojo Masako, located adjacent to Seto Shrine. Records indicate that Tokugawa Ieyasu also stayed at this temple during a tour of Kanazawa in 1591 and issued a land grant to the temple. The quiet precincts, though modest in scale, carry the accumulated weight of Kamakura and Edo history.

Kanazawa Hakkei Today — Pilgrimage Old and New

Utagawa Hiroshige, panoramic night view of the Eight Views of Kanazawa — Cleveland Museum of Art. An Edo-period vision of Kanazawa as seen from above

Wikimedia Commons / CC0 / Cleveland Museum of Art

The eight scenic views celebrated by Hiroshige have changed with time. Some inlets have been reclaimed; the “wild geese at Hiragata” are no longer seen in the same landscape. Yet the core of the Kanazawa Hakkei experience — standing on the causeway to Biwajima Shrine, watching the autumn moon rise over Seto Shrine — remains as it was in the Edo period.

In recent years, the Kanazawa Hakkei and Hiragata Bay area has also drawn a younger generation of visitors as an anime pilgrimage destination. Historically-minded pilgrims and contemporary fans now share the same causeway and shrine precincts, each finding their own connection to the place. The Risshin Benzaiten of Biwajima Shrine continues to draw those seeking success and good fortune, regardless of the era.

Summary — Planning Your Kanazawa Hakkei Pilgrimage

Key Tips for Visitors

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Start at Kanazawa Hakkei Station (Keikyu Line). Biwajima Shrine and Seto Shrine are two minutes on foot — visit these first.

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Collect goshuin at the Seto Shrine shrine office: two types available (Seto Shrine and Biwajima Shrine), 500 yen each.

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Shomyoji is 10 minutes from Kanazawa Bunko Station; Ryugeji is near Kanazawa Hakkei Station. A half-day to full-day itinerary can cover three or four sites.

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Visit in autumn for the best chance of experiencing “Seto no Shūgetsu” — the moon over the bay at night.

Related Spots

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Biwajima Shrine (Kanazawa, Yokohama) — Hojo Masako’s Benzaiten, the Risshin Benzaiten of worldly advancement

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Seto Shrine (Kanazawa, Yokohama) — Founded by Minamoto no Yoritomo; issues goshuin for both shrines

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Shomyoji (Kanazawa, Yokohama) — Family temple of Hojo Sanetoki; the Evening Bell of the eight views

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Ryugeji (Kanazawa Hakkei) (Kanazawa, Yokohama) — Ancient temple associated with Yoritomo, Masako, and Ieyasu

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Kanazawa Hakkei?

Kanazawa Hakkei refers to eight scenic spots in the Kanazawa district of Yokohama City (formerly Kuraki County, Musashi Province). The Keikyu Line station “Kanazawa Hakkei Station” takes its name directly from these eight views. Biwajima Shrine and Seto Shrine are just two minutes on foot from the station.

Where do I get the goshuin for Biwajima Shrine?

Because Biwajima Shrine is a subordinate shrine (sessha) of Seto Shrine, goshuin for both shrines are issued at the Seto Shrine shrine office. Two types are available — one for each shrine — at 500 yen each. Visit the office after completing your circuit of both shrines.

Can you still see the original Eight Views of Kanazawa?

Some of the original landscapes have changed significantly due to land reclamation and development. However, the “Seto no Shūgetsu” (Autumn Moon at Seto) scene around Biwajima Shrine and Seto Shrine, and the garden of Shomyoji representing the Evening Bell view, are well preserved. Visitors can compare the surviving landscapes against Hiroshige’s woodblock prints with a strong sense of connection.

What is the connection between Utagawa Hiroshige and Kanazawa Hakkei?

Utagawa Hiroshige created a celebrated series of eight woodblock prints depicting the Kanazawa Hakkei during the Tenpō era (1830s). These prints — showing moonlit shrines, snow-covered temples, and boats returning at dusk — were widely circulated among the Edo public and transformed Kanazawa into one of the most famous scenic destinations near the capital. The prints are now held in major museums including the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Last updated: June 3, 2026

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Toku editorial team — samurai history. Insists on primary sources and castle-layout diagrams, walking battlefields from Yoritomo's Izu exile sites to the late-Edo battlegrounds.

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