Morioka Hachimangu

Morioka Hachimangu in Morioka, Iwate, stands on Hachiman-yama at the meeting of the Kitakami and Nakatsu rivers and serves as the general tutelary shrine of the former Nanbu Morioka domain. The current vermilion-lacquered hall, rebuilt in 1997, surveys the Morioka cityscape from its hill. The main deity is Homutawake no Mikoto (Emperor Ojin); Empress Jingu and Hime-okami (often identified with the three Munakata goddesses) are enshrined alongside as the standard Hachiman triad. Kojiki (712 CE) records Emperor Ojin in the Empress Jingu narrative as the imperial son born during her return from the Silla expedition. The shrine was founded in 1680 by the 29th Nanbu lord Shigenobu, who transferred the deity from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu in Kamakura. After the 1871 abolition of domains it was raised to prefectural shrine status in 1875. The "Nanbu yabusame" horseback archery dedicated each September 15 preserves an Edo-period domain rite. The September 14-16 reisai with its Morioka festival floats is among the largest annual rites in Iwate Prefecture.