Miyagi Gokoku Shrine

Miyagi Gokoku Shrine is located on the site of the former main keep of Sendai Castle. Since the end of the Edo period, it has enshrined the spirits of local residents who lost their lives in various wars.
It began as a Shōkonsha, a shrine dedicated to the souls of those who fell in the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese Wars during the late Meiji period, and was designated as a Gokoku Shrine by the Miya
giMinister of the Interior in 1939.
The shrine was completely destroyed in the Great Sendai Air Raid of July 1945, but was rebuilt to its present form after overcoming many postwar challenges.
Today, it is beloved by the citizens of Sendai as a popular destination for New Year’s visits and Shichi-Go-San celebrations.
The main hall is the former main sanctuary of the Kazamiya (Wind Shrine) of the Outer Shrine of Ise Jingu, which was transferred here in 1953 (Showa 28) in connection with the shrine’s Shikinen Sengu (periodic relocation ritual). The vividly vermilion-painted worship hall is also a striking feature.
In addition, the sight of “Miss Fukumusume” distributing “Fuku-ya” (lucky arrows), believed to bring happiness and good fortune to visitors, is a well-known New Year tradition.