Suga Shrine — Attraction in Oyama

After his victory over Taira Masakado in the Tengyo Rebellion in 940, Fujiwara Hidesato had this shrine built to show his appreciation to Susanoo Mikoto, to whom he had prayed for victory. The Kami of Hachiman-Sha in Kyoto’s Gion district, Susanoo, was enshrined through the kanjō process. The shrine was originally located in Oyama-shi’s Kitayama district (the current Nakakuji): its parish was the 66 neighbourhoods of the area, and it later came to be seen as the tutelary deity of Oyama Castle, also known as Gion Castle, when the latter was built in 1148. In 1159-1160, on the instructions of the then lord of the Oyama domain, Honda Masazumi (本多正純), it was moved to its present location about 1 km south of the castle ruins. Over four centuries later, in 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu held a war council in the shrine, and it apparently included his retiring to a secluded chamber to pray for success in the upcoming Battle of Sekigahara. His prayers were successful , and in recognition of this land worth slightly over 51 koku was presented to the shrine, 15 of which were later made exempt from taxation. A document recording this is stored at the shrine and has been designated a cultural asset by Oyama City. A more tangible prefecturally-designated cultural asset of the shrine is a scaled down red palanquin made by artisans who made the original at Nikko Tosho-Gu and presented it to the shrine in 1658. As shown in these photos the shrine is connected to what was the Nikko Kaido by a long approach road. It looks peaceful enough in these photos, but unfortunately it has parking spots on either side of it so cars passing along occasionally spoil the serenity. The main torii of the shrine was built in 1653. Another of the interesting features of the shrine is the way in which ten in-ground shrines are grouped together, with a separate torii. To the south of the Main Hall there is a group of seven rocks. They were once in the garden of Oyama Castle. Local rumour has it that when the castle was destroyed its owner requisitioned the rocks. So distressed at this were they, the rocks, that they began crying at night, upsetting the local inhabitants. Their owner thus moved them to the shrine where happily for all concerned they...

An easily accessible shrine in the city. I heard that it was good luck. It's a heavy rainy day, so I'm alone. It was a different space away from the hustle and bustle. Even though it's...

御祭神、素盞嗚命・大己貴命・誉田別命 創建は天慶3年(940年)、藤原秀郷が京都の祇園神社から勧請し創建しました。 当初は小山の字北山（現在の中久喜地内）に祀られておりましたが小山城の築城に際し平治年間（1159〜1160）に現社地に遷座されました。 慶長5年（1600年）7月、徳川家康公は境内にて小山評定を開き関が原の戦勝を祈願し勝利しました。その後徳川家康公の崇拝神社なる故をもって万治元年（1658年）に、日光東照宮を造営した職人により、日光東照宮を縮尺し作成奉製された朱神輿が須賀神社に奉納され、平成10年1月16日、栃木県指定有形文化財に指定されました。 国道4号の小山バイパス沿いに面し、混んでいるわけではありませんが参拝者は途絶えず境内は管理が行き届いており社殿は歴史と重厚感を感じました グーグルマップ通りに行くと社殿左側の須賀神社御手洗いがある道に案内され境内に入ることは出来ませんので、案内を無視して小山バイパスを走行するとすぐ左に鳥居と境内が見えます境内を左に見て鳥居を通り過ぎると須賀神社会館と案内が見え駐車場に入れます、駐車場は大きく50台は駐車できそうです。 電車で来られる方はJR東日本、小山駅西口より一の鳥居まで徒歩で約10分くらいとなります。 御朱印、授与品、御祈祷の受付は社殿右側の社務所の中にて丁寧...