Shirahata Shrine

Shirahata Shrine at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu enshrines the first and third Kamakura shoguns: Minamoto no Yoritomo and his son Sanetomo, both venerated as Shinto deities. The black-lacquered shrine is decorated with gilded carvings of dwarf bamboo and gentian flowers, the family crest of the Minamoto clan. Originally separate shrines for each figure, they were combined into a single structure in 1888. The name shirahata means white flag, a reference to the battle banners of the Minamoto clan. Visitors pray to Yoritomo for success and victory, while Sanetomo, remembered for his poetry, draws those seeking artistic inspiration.