This is a story I heard from a friend late last year.
“I was riding the Tokyu Line from Kamata, and at some station along the way, I saw a sign saying ‘Birthplace of the Hamaya Arrow.’ It’s been on my mind ever since.”
Hmm. That does sound intriguing. I looked into it a bit and found out there’s apparently a shrine in that area with that very legend. Thinking it might make a good first shrine visit of the year, I went there on the afternoon of New Year’s Day.
The nearest station is Musashi-Nitta Station on the Tokyu Tamagawa Line. It’s the Nitta Shrine in Yaguchi, Ota Ward.
It’s said to be a shrine dedicated to Nitta Yoshioki, the second son of Nitta Yoshisada. Yoshisada was one of the key figures in the Kenmu Restoration, having fought against the shogunate while supporting Emperor Go-Daigo in the late Kamakura era and ultimately overthrowing it. After the new government was established, Yoshioki, like his father Yoshisada, opposed Ashikaga Takauji and fought valiantly as a commander for the Southern Court.
However, it is said he was ultimately assassinated here in Yaguchi. Fearing the vengeful spirit’s curse, he was enshrined as Nitta Daimyojin, which is now known as Nitta Shrine.
When I arrived, it was bustling with local visitors for their first shrine visit of the year.
It’s said that the origin of the hamaya (evil-warding arrow) lies in the Edo period, when Hiraga Gen’nai devised a “Yamori” (an arrow-shaped amulet) specifically for this area. Since Gen’nai-sensei also wrote the Kabuki play “Shinrei Yaguchi no Watashi” based on the tragedy of Lord Yoshioki, I can’t help but think this gentleman was essentially pulling off what we’d call a media mix today to make a tidy profit.
The Hamaya currently bestowed at Nitta Shrine look like this.
The “single-line double crest” featuring a thick horizontal line is said to be the Nitta family crest. It’s simple and stylish, isn’t it?
Vibrantly colored flower hand-water.
A sacred tree that seems to possess a profound spiritual power.
In the slanting light of a winter afternoon, the harsh lighting conditions offered strong contrast, but the little GF10 did its best, letting me enjoy some fun snaps while visiting the shrine for the first time this year.
