Nagoya Shrine Visit Report 2025 Mizuho No.1 Nishi Hachiman Shrine
I visited and photographed this on October 13, 2025.
Nishi (West) Hachiman Shrine — The Living Lineage of Prayer in Mizuho
In the quiet neighborhood of Gunsui, Mizuho Ward (Nagoya), Nishi Hachiman Shrine enshrines Ojin Tenno (Hon-da-wake-no-Mikoto). Nearby, the discovery of the Nakane dotaku (AD 1870) reveals how this land has connected people, nature, and prayer from the Yayoi era to the present.
1) Origins of the Shrine
Nishi Hachiman Shrine (Nishi Hachiman-sha) stands in Gunsui, Mizuho Ward, Nagoya. The principal deity is Ojin Tenno (Hon-da-wake-no-Mikoto), regarded as Japan’s 15th emperor, with a traditional reign dated to ca. AD 270–310. In Hachiman belief, Ojin is venerated for martial fortune, prosperity of descendants, and national well-being.
While the foundation date is unknown, a rebuilding is recorded on a roof board in Bunka 3 (AD 1808, Late Edo period). By the late 18th to early 19th century (ca. 1750–1850), the shrine already served as the local guardian. The annual festival is held on October 17.
2) Deities and Subsidiary Shrines
The main deity is Ojin Tenno. Several subsidiary shrines collectively honor the forces of fire, mountains, sea, and life:
| Subsidiary Shrine | Deity | Blessings |
|---|---|---|
| Akiba Shrine | Kagutsuchi-no-Kami | Fire protection, household safety |
| Nishiyama Shrine | Oyamazumi-no-Kami | Mountains, nature guardianship |
| Kotohira Shrine | Omononushi-no-Kami | Voyage safety, business prosperity |
| Taga Shrine | Izana-gi & Izana-mi | Longevity, harmonious bonds |
3) The Nakane Dotaku — A Yayoi-Era Voice Found Nearby
In 1870 (Meiji 3), during road improvement work in present-day Nakane-cho, Mizuho Ward, a Yayoi-period dotaku (bronze ritual bell) was unearthed by chance. Known as the Nakane dotaku, it is widely interpreted as a ritual implement for prayers for agricultural abundance. It was later exhibited at the Higashi Betsuin exposition, went missing for a time, and resurfaced in 1927 (Showa 2). Today it is housed at the Tatsuma Archaeological Museum (Nishinomiya, Hyogo).
Typologically, the Nakane dotaku is classified among the San-en style, with lightning and spiral motifs engraved on its surface. Rather than a bell to be rung, it stands as a symbol of cosmic harmony and prayer to nature’s powers. Its discovery so near Nishi Hachiman Shrine suggests that Mizuho has long been a place where prayer coexists with the land: dotaku as Yayoi prayer, Hachiman as medieval prayer—a lineage fitting for a place called “Mizuho,” the land of ripe ears of rice.
4) What Is a Dotaku?
A dotaku is a bronze ritual implement from Japan’s Yayoi period (roughly 2,300–1,800 years ago). Although bell-shaped, most were not meant to be sounded. Instead, they are understood to have served agricultural rites: prayers for abundant harvests, stable weather, and reverence for ancestral spirits.
Some early, small dotaku contained a clapper and may have functioned as sounding instruments; however, from the mid- to late Yayoi, decoration increased and the objects took on a more symbolic role. In essence, a dotaku is a vessel of prayer—a material emblem of Yayoi spiritual culture.
5) Quiet Grounds, Continuing Prayer
Standing in the precincts of Nishi Hachiman Shrine, the breeze through the trees seems to carry whispers from distant ages: the Yayoi people’s hopes engraved in bronze, and the offerings to the Hachiman deity across centuries. Mizuho remains a calm sanctuary where people and gods still meet.
Closing Statement
Japan is home to roughly 88,000 shrines. Each holds the memories of its land and the prayers of its people. From here, I will begin with the shrines close at hand—documenting stone lanterns, guardian komainu, the water basins, and the very air of the precincts—and turn each visit into a living record. To see, to touch, and to tell: this is my task, and the role that Japanstones.shop strives to fulfill.