Kamakura-gu Shrine

Kamakura-gu Shrine was built by Emperor Meiji in 1869 in the early Meiji era, and he also named the shrine himself. It is also known as "Ootou no Miya ", and the worshiped deity is Prince Morinaga, son of the Emperor Godaigo. The prince devoted great efforts to attacking the Kamakura shogunate, and he made a remarkable achievement so that the emperor could seize political influence. However, at the beginning of the Muromachi period, he was put into confinement by the opposing Ashikaga Takauji at the Toko-ji Temple, and was later executed. Emperor Meiji is said to have built this shrine in this location where Toko-ji Temple used to be in order to pass on the prince’s will to future generations. The cell in which the prince was confined still remains behind the shrine’s main hall and available for visitors to see. Kamakura-gu Shrine is also known to repel misfortune. It is said that visitors can get rid of their misfortunes with "yaku wari ishi", which is a custom where the visitors blow on a circular cup to transfer their misfortune at which a rock is thrown, and if the cup shatters the misfortune is removed.