元八幡 Mototsurugaoka Hachiman-gū
Updated: Jan 23, 2020

About the origin of the name Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, the Azuma Kagami says that: "Minamoto no Yoriyoshi, after his victorious campaign against Abe no Sadatō, in August 1063 erected this shrine and transferred to it part of Kyoto's Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū's kami. In February 1081 the shrine was repaired by Minamoto no Yoshiie."
On the northside of Zaimokuza near the train tracks, you will find the small shrine with red Torii. Unfortunately, the historical marker next to the Torii is washed out and mostly illegible. It reads:
It is likely that this area was once called "Tsurugaoka". On October 12, 1180, Minamoto no Yoritomo, in order to worship his ancestors, had Yui Wakamiya move the shrine from its current spot to the mountain north of an area called Kobayashi, and that became the present day Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū. When the Azuma Kagami says that Minamoto no Yoritomo at last visited his distant ancestors at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, it refers to this shrine. The new shrine took the name, so from that moment, this place has been called Moto Hachiman.
Erected in 1927 by the Kamakura Seinendan Young Adult Association.