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BASICS

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BASICS

Teramae Hachiman Shrine (Kanazawa Bunko) — The Hachiman Guardian at the Gate of Shomyoji

Teramae Hachiman Shrine in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, enshrines Emperor Ojin (Hachiman) and is said to have served as the guardian shrine when Hojo Sanetoki founded Shomyoji. Recorded in the documents of Kanazawa Bunko, it has been venerated together with Shomyoji since the Kamakura period.

Contents

MOKUJI

What Is Teramae Hachiman Shrine

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A History from the Kamakura Period — Sanetoki and Shomyoji

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From Edo to the Modern Era — Betto Temple and Merger

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Walking Kanazawa with Shomyoji and Kanazawa Bunko

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Summary — Walking Teramae Hachiman and Kanazawa Bunko

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FAQ

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The main hall of Teramae Hachiman Shrine — the Hachiman shrine of Kanazawa Ward, enshrining Emperor Ojin at the gate of Shomyoji

In a quiet residential district of Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, an old shrine dedicated to Emperor Ojin (Hachiman) stands at the gate of Shomyoji temple. Teramae Hachiman Shrine is said to have been invited as the guardian shrine when Hojo Sanetoki founded Shomyoji in the Kamakura period. A ten-minute walk from Keikyu Kanazawa-bunko Station, it is the ideal first stop on a history walk through Shomyoji and Kanazawa Bunko.

What Is Teramae Hachiman Shrine

The Hachiman guardian of Teramae, Kanazawa Ward

The principal deity is Emperor Ojin (Hachiman), long revered by samurai as a god of valor and victory. Hachiman worship took deep root in Kanazawa, a town of Kamakura warriors. Locals affectionately call it “Teramae Hachiman-sama,” and it remains the tutelary deity of the district.

The place name “Teramae” and the temple gate town

The name Teramae (“before the temple”) comes directly from its location at the gate of Shomyoji. The shrine sits at the southern edge of the temple town, facing an intersection, its stone torii marking the street corner.

A History from the Kamakura Period — Sanetoki and Shomyoji

The guardian invited by Hojo Sanetoki

The shrine’s founding is bound to the building of Shomyoji by Hojo Sanetoki, founder of the Kanazawa Hojo branch and creator of Kanazawa Bunko, Japan’s oldest samurai library. Tradition holds that Hachiman was invited to guard the temple.

The “Hachiman wharf” in the Kanazawa Bunko documents

Documents preserved at Kanazawa Bunko record that some 700 years ago, boats carrying materials for Shomyoji’s construction were unloaded at the “Hachiman wharf,” confirming the shrine’s existence in the Kamakura period.

From Edo to the Modern Era — Betto Temple and Merger

The Edo-period betto temple “Hachiman Ho’onji”

Until the Edo period a betto (administrative) temple called Hachiman Ho’onji stood to the north. It later fell into ruin, and many old shrine records were lost.

The 1908 merger and the summer festival

In 1908 (Meiji 41) nearby small shrines were merged here, so the deities of three additional shrines are enshrined alongside Emperor Ojin. The summer festival remains the district’s largest annual event.

Item

Detail

Main deity

Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)

Location

1-10-19 Teramae, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama

Founded

Kamakura period

Also called

Kanazawa Hachiman Shrine

Access

10 min walk from Keikyu Kanazawa-bunko Sta.

Festival

Summer festival

Walking Kanazawa with Shomyoji and Kanazawa Bunko

One faith sphere with Shomyoji and Kanazawa Bunko

The shrine is best enjoyed together with Shomyoji and Kanazawa Bunko. Pilgrims long kept the custom of praying first at this gate shrine before entering the temple.

Summary — Walking Teramae Hachiman and Kanazawa Bunko

Points for your visit

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The deity is Emperor Ojin (Hachiman), god of valor and victory

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Visit together with Shomyoji as tradition dictates

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10 minutes on foot from Keikyu Kanazawa-bunko Station

Related spots

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Teramae Hachiman Shrine — the gate shrine of Shomyoji

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Shomyoji — family temple of the Kanazawa Hojo, founded by Sanetoki

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Seto Shrine — guardian of Seto, linked to Minamoto no Yoritomo

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Biwajima Shrine — Benzaiten of Hiragata Bay

Recommended course

Follow the Yokohama Kanazawa History Walk from Shomyoji to Seto Shrine and Biwajima in half a day.

FAQ

How do I get to Teramae Hachiman Shrine?

A 10-minute walk from Keikyu Kanazawa-bunko Station. Address: 1-10-19 Teramae, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, within walking distance of Shomyoji and Kanazawa Bunko.

What deity and benefits does it have?

Emperor Ojin (Hachiman), a god of valor and victory. After the 1908 merger, three more shrines’ deities are also enshrined.

What is its relationship to Shomyoji?

It is said to have been the guardian shrine when Hojo Sanetoki founded Shomyoji, and has been venerated together with the temple since the Kamakura period.

Is there a festival?

A summer festival is held, the district’s largest annual event.

Last updated: June 4, 2026

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Toku editorial team — shrines and temples. Former designer who reads temple architecture and gardens through an aesthetic lens, quietly tracing the lineages of sects and doctrines.

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