Osaki Hachimangu Shrine - Sendai

This event call “ dontosai” is in January 14th of each year. This is my favorite event. There are many venders and visiter all day.

Have lived nearby for 2 years and it was always a good place to pray for peace.

This place is beautiful, it was very quite, when I was there. They have lots of space and a about 5 different shrines you can pray to, and all have beautiful appearances

A very nice small temple not too far from the site of Sendai Castle. If you want to stay in Sendai for a while and want to see the sights this is a nice visit. I recommend taking the subway to international center station and the walk first to the site of sendai castle to get a few nice pictures and then retrace your steps and cross the river to visit Osaki Hachiman (make sure to check the distances as all of this together is a bit of a walk with some uphill parts). The best place to grab a bite in this area is near the coop supermarket accross the road from Osaki Hachiman's main entrance.

Although it was chilly out this day (45°F/7°C), the visit to the shrine was well worth the trip. We came on the same day as the Dontosai pilgrimage and bonfire. The shrine was quite busy and the food stalls were packed with delicious eats for sale. Definitely worth the trip.

Osaki Hachimangu is a small, but beautiful Shinto shrine, designated a national treasure (国宝) for being one of the oldest shrines made in the Azuchi-Momoyama-era architectural style, constructed in 1607. It is a gorgeous shrine dedicated to Hachiman, the Shinto god of war. It has a distinctive, striking coloration, but unfortunately, at the time I went it was adorned with additional dressings meant to accommodate the huge crowds travelling there to pray for the new year. I guess that means I’ll just have an excuse to come back again...

Amazing place. I love the atmosphere. It's a must go Shrine if you are visiting Sendai area and you can get with JR pass to the closest station and just a 15 minutes walk you'll get to the shrine. I was lucky enough to see a festival there with red lanterns and street food. So magical and beautiful not very busy like big cities but worthy a visit. ?

Dontosai festival ???? 14 Jan 2022 •This traditional event is held at shrines where worshippers bring their New Year’s decorations to be burned in a large bonfire and pray for good health, good fortune and the well-being of their families. •The largest of these festivals is held at the Osaki Hachiman Shrine, famous for its hadakamairi (men dressed only in loincloths marching to the shrine). The Matsutaki Festival of this shrine has a history of 300 years and is the largest new year countdown in the whole of Japan. It is an event held to burn offerings of new year's decorations and old amulets etc. and is also known as ”Sagicho” generally in other areas or ”Dondoyaki” due to the strength of the fire. On the night of Jan 14, New Year's pine decoration and Shinto ropes etc. gathered at one corner of the grounds from the surrounding country are lighted up in flames by a ”imibi” around sunset. As a ”gojinka” to see off the gods who visited each household during the new year, this fire is said to purify the minds and bodies of those who come into contact with it and to keep their families safe and healthy for the year. A custom called ”hadakamairi” where people visit the shrine aiming for the ”gojinka” naked in winter used to be practiced as well. Already established by the middle of the Edo Period, this practice is said to have been started by sake brewers who visited the shrine to pray for the sake to be brewed safely as they entered into preparations in the intense cold. Even now, thousands of pilgrims wearing a white towel around their heads and a white cloth around their waists, holding a piece of ”fukumigami” paper in their mouths to refrain from small talk and with their left hand holding a paper lantern and their right hand holding a bell come to pay homage from all over the city, becoming a well-known seasonal event of Sendai, the City of Trees. Osaki hachimangu shrine is decorated with beautiful lanterns Various stalls are open all night! Positive and happy vibes all around! Tends to get overcrowded for this festival. So take care of parking. Parking is available in the shrine premises though. Parking at paid parking facilities is recommended. Its 10-15 min drive from Sendai station. Happy visit ??