Minamoto no Yoritomo Pilgrimage: From Izu Exile to Kamakura
A pilgrimage tracing Yoritomo's 20 years of exile in Izu (1160-1180) and his rise to power in Kamakura. Covers six sites including Hirugashima, Izusan Shrine, Mishima Taisha, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
Minamoto no Yoritomo spent nearly 20 years in exile in Izu before establishing the Kamakura shogunate. This guide traces his journey from Hirugashima (his exile site in present-day Izu no Kuni City) through Izusan Shrine, Mishima Taisha, and Shuzenji, to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and his tomb in Kamakura. Each site is evaluated against primary sources, including the Azuma Kagami, to distinguish historical fact from later legend.