Egara Tenjinsha Shrine, Shinto shrine in Nikaidō, Kamakura, Japan.
Egara Tenjinsha is a Shinto shrine in Nikaidō, Kamakura, with a vermilion timber haiden and a copper-roofed honden in nagare-zukuri style. The honden, built in 1316 and moved here in 1622 from Tsurugaoka Hachimangū's Wakamiya, is an Important Cultural Property. A 900-year-old ginkgo stands on the grounds, and the shrine sits on a levelled terrace about 7 metres above the surrounding land.
The shrine was founded in 1104 by a local priest, predating the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate by Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1181. Its longevity makes it one of the oldest religious sites in the region.
The shrine's name derives from the ancient district of Egaya, later pronounced Egara. Its monthly festival falls on the 25th, the death anniversary of Sugawara no Michizane, when a calligraphy brush memorial ceremony is held. On February 8, a needle memorial service thanks worn sewing needles stuck into soft tofu.
The shrine is located in Nikaidō, roughly a 10-minute walk from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine through residential streets of Kamakura. Its position in a quiet neighborhood means it tends to be less crowded than the more famous shrines nearby.
Within the shrine grounds stands the Efudezuka, a brush-shaped monument featuring signatures and illustrations from over 150 manga artists depicting kappa characters. This unusual monument blends traditional veneration with modern art culture and documents the connection between the shrine and the manga community.
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