Tsurugaoka Hachimangū: A Shrine at the Center of Kamakura History

A seated statue of Minamoto no Sanetomo Based on tree ring measurements from the wood used to make the statue, it is believed to have been created in the thirteenth century. (Courtesy of Kai Zenkōji)

The stone monument with Sanetomo’s poem. (© Mochida Jōji)

The Kinkai wakashū. (Courtesy of the National Archives of Japan)

The Relationship Between Sanetomo and Kugyō

The grave where Sanetomo’s head is buried. (© Mochida Jōji)

Kongōji houses a Buddhist statue owned by Sanetomo. The temple was founded by Taikyō Gyōyū, a priest who converted Sanetomo to Buddhism. (© Mochida Jōji)

Sanetomo’s grave is located at the former site of the temple Shōchōjuin, considered one of three major sites of worship built by Minamoto no Yoritomo, along with Tsurugaoka Hachimangū and Eifukuji. (© Mochida Jōji)

The grave of Sanetomo. (© Mochida Jōji)