鳩ヶ嶺八幡宮
1999 Hachimancho, Iida City
This shrine is said to have been enshrined from Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine in Kyoto.
Known affectionately as "Yawata no Hachiman-sama," it has a long history of being cherished by the locals.
The area around the shrine developed as a temple town, and the roads near the approach from Iida Castle Town to Shimojo Village retain the old-fashioned atmosphere of a narrow commercial street.
The bright shrine grounds, bathed in sunlight filtering through the trees, begin with a stone Myojin Torii gate.
Halfway along the approach stands the Zuishinmon gate, an eight-legged gate designated as a tangible cultural property by Iida City.
Built in 1721 according to the inscription on the ridge tag, the carvings on the frogs and the rainbow beam reflect the techniques of that era.
Behind the large gabled worship hall stands the main hall, enclosed by a covering structure.
Inside the main hall is enshrined a statue of Emperor Ojin from the Kamakura period, which is designated as an important cultural property.
Though the interior cannot be viewed due to the covering structure, the carvings on the frogs and the patterned coloring reflect the influence of the shogunate's architecture.
The shrine grounds contain many auxiliary shrines.
Particularly noteworthy are the small auxiliary shrines dedicated to Daikoku and Tenjin, featuring intricate carvings and a distinguished Shinmei style for the Daikoku shrine.
