Hakozaki Shrine

Look up at the two-story gate: the four large characters on the plaque read tekikoku kofuku, roughly "may the enemy nation surrender". The shrine says the original calligraphy is attributed to Emperor Daigo, and that Emperor Kameyama donated another copy when the buildings were rebuilt after the Mongol invasion of 1274 burned them. Hakozaki enshrines Hachiman, identified with Emperor Ojin, together with Empress Jingu and Tamayorihime. Records place its founding in 921 and the move to this site in 923, though the shrine admits the date is disputed. The main hall and worship hall date from 1545, the gate was built in 1594 by Kobayakawa Takakage, and the stone first torii from 1609; all are Important Cultural Properties. On a normal weekday the grounds are calm, and a stone from a Mongol warship anchor sits near the hall. September is another matter. From the 12th to the 18th, the Hojoya festival puts several hundred stalls along the approach, and about a million people come over the week. Parking on nearby streets is banned, so take the subway.