Shrine · Motoyawata (Ichikawa)
Katsushika Hachimangu 葛飾八幡宮
The guardian shrine of the old Shimosa province in Motoyawata, with a vast hollow ginkgo, the Senbon-icho, that is a National Natural Monument and turns the precinct gold in late November.
About
Founded, by tradition, in the late 9th century at the command of Emperor Uda as the chief Hachiman shrine of Shimosa province, Katsushika Hachimangu stands in a wooded precinct right on the main road through Motoyawata. Warriors from Taira no Masakado to Minamoto no Yoritomo are said to have prayed here. Its most famous resident is the Senbon-icho, the "thousand-trunk ginkgo", a giant tree whose many trunks have fused into one hollow mass; it is designated a National Natural Monument and is spectacular when it turns yellow. A Heian-period bronze bell (an Important Cultural Property) hangs in the grounds, and in mid-September the Boro-ichi festival market, one of the longest-running in Kanto, fills the precinct with stalls. The vermilion Zuishinmon gate faces a long approach that starts right by the Ichikawa City Hall.
Highlights
- Senbon-icho, a National Natural Monument ginkgo with fused trunks
- Heian-period bronze temple bell
- Vermilion Zuishinmon gate and long tree-lined approach
- Boro-ichi market festival in mid-September
- Golden ginkgo leaves in late November
Tips
- Late November to early December is peak ginkgo season; evening light-ups are held some years.
- Yawata no Yabushirazu, the famous "forbidden grove", is just across the main road.
- Motoyawata Station (JR / Toei Shinjuku Line) is a 10-minute walk.
Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09
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