A Photo Visit to Yakumo Shrine

At less than a kilometer from the Kamakura Station you can find the Yakumo Shrine, established in 1082 by Yoshimitsu Minamoto, the grand-grand-grandfather of the Kamakura Shogunate founder, Yoritomo Minamoto (1147-1199).
This is one of the oldest shrines in Kamakura, older than the famous Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.

Second Torii, Yakumo Shrine, Kamakura

This shrine has an interesting story, its founding is related to an event that took place 200 years before, in Kyoto.

Yakumo Shrine building, Kamakura

In the year 869 in Kyoto, an epidemic that was ravaging the city was stopped after a mikoshi parade at the Yasaka Shrine (well known today as Gion Shrine). That parade marked the beginning of the festival Gion Matsuri, a famous annual festival taking place in July in Kyoto.

First Torii, Yakumo Shrine, Kamakura

200 years later, an epidemic hit hard Kamakura and Yoshimitsu Minamoto thought that building in Kamakura a branch of the Yasaka Shrine would help protecting the people against evils and epidemics.

He requested permission from Kyoto to raise in Kamakura a sub-shrine named Kamakura Gion-sha (today’s Yakumo Shrine). Soon after the shrine was erected, the epidemic decreased rapidly.

Yakumo Shrine building, Kamakura

The building we see today was reconstructed in 1929, after the Great Kanto Earthquake.

Shimenawa, Yakumo Shrine, Kamakura

La mai puţin de un kilometru de staţia Kamakura se află Yakumo Shrine, construit în anul 1082 de către Yoshimitsu Minamoto, străstrăbunicul lui Yoritomo Minamoto (1147-1199), întemeietorul Shogunatului Kamakura.
Este unul dintre cele mai vechi altare din Kamakura, mai vechi chiar decât celebrul Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.

Second Torii, Yakumo Shrine, Kamakura

Altarul are o poveste interesantă, deoarece construcţia lui are legătură cu un eveniment care a avut loc cu 200 de ani înainte, în Kyoto.

Yakumo Shrine, Kamakura

În anul 869, în Kyoto a apărut o epidemie care s-a stins după parada de mikoshi ţinută la Yasaka Shrine (cunoscut şi cu numele de Gion Shrine), paradă care a marcat începutul festivalui Gion Matsuri, un festival care are loc în fiecare an în luna iulie în Kyoto.

First Torii, Yakumo Shrine, Kamakura

200 de ani mai târziu, când în Kamakura a izbucnit o epidemie, Yoshimitsu Minamoto a cerut permisiunea celor de la altarul din Kyoto să ridice în Kamakura o subsidiară.

Aşa s-a construit altarul Kamakura Gion-sha (care acum se numeşte Yakumo Shrine). Epidemia a început să se stingă rapid curând după terminarea construcţiei altarului.

Yakumo Shrine building, Kamakura

Clădirea de astăzi a fost reconstruită în 1929, după Marele Cutremur Kanto.

Shimenawa, Yakumo Shrine, Kamakura