Arata Hachiman Shrine

Arata Hachiman Shrine is a historic shrine in Hyogo Ward, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, enshrining Emperor Ojin. Locals affectionately call it “Arata no Yakujin-san.” It is also famous for its annual Yakuyoke Taisai (Grand Misfortune-Repelling Festival) in January, when many visitors from within and outside the prefecture come to receive prayers for protection from misfortune. Access to Arata Hachiman Shrine is about a 4-minute walk from Okurayama Station on the Kobe Municipal Subway, about an 8-minute walk from Kosoku-Kobe Station on the Kobe Kosoku Railway, and it is located just inside the sidewalk opposite Kobe University Hospital. The shrine’s site is described in the “Itsukushima Gokoki” of Retired Emperor Takakura as the villa of Taira no Yorimori—Taira no Kiyomori’s younger brother, known as “Ike no Dainagon.” During the Fukuhara capital relocation in 1180 (Jisho 4), this area served as the center of Fukuhara-kyo and became the temporary imperial residence of Emperor Antoku. Within the precincts stand stone monuments marking the historic sites “Emperor Antoku’s Temporary Palace” and “Taira no Yorimori’s Villa.” As a “Heike-related historic site in Kobe” that evokes a sense of history and romance, it has become a popular sightseeing spot.