Chichibuontake Shrine, Shinto shrine in Hannō, Saitama, Japan
Chichibu Ontake Shrine stands beside a paved road in Hannō, entered through a grey stone torii whose crossbeam carries a wooden plaque with dark characters. To the left, a tall light-grey granite pillar is carved with the shrine's name; a tiered stone lantern with a square light chamber and curved roof stands nearby. The grounds, known as Tōgō Park, hold a bronze statue of Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō, a statue of General Nogi Maresuke, a Russian cannon and the damaged deck plate of the battleship Mikasa.
Kamoshita Seihachi (1861–1955), a farmer's son from Sakashi, founded the shrine in 1894 after his mother recovered from illness through faith in Ontake worship. He opened Mount Fukuju as the shrine site. In 1927 a bronze statue of Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō was unveiled here, and the grounds became known as Tōgō Park. Seihachi is worshipped as Kiyonuki Issei Reishin.
The shrine takes its popular name, Tōgō Park, from the bronze statue of Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō, unveiled on 17 April 1927 after founder Kamoshita Seihachi persuaded him through General Horiuchi Bunjirō. The grounds also hold a statue of General Nogi Maresuke, a Russian cannon and armour plate from the battleship Mikasa. Annual rites include the Setsubun festival on 3 February and the Momiji Matsuri around 20 November.
The shrine stands beside a paved road, with a granite name pillar, a stone lantern and a stone torii at the entrance. From Agano Station on the Seibu lines it is a 25-minute walk; from Hannō Station or Komagawa Station a taxi takes about 25 minutes. By car, take National Route 299 from the Sayama-Hidaka interchange, about 35 minutes toward Chichibu.
The grounds are also called Tōgō Park, after a bronze statue of Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō that Kamoshita Seihachi had erected here; its unveiling on 17 April 1927 drew Tōgō himself, General Horiuchi Bunjirō and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kasuya Yoshizō. Nearby stand a bronze statue of General Nogi Maresuke, a Russian cannon and a section of the battleship Mikasa's armour struck by shellfire.
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