Hakone Shrine Treasure House

Hakone Shrine is a shrine on the shore of Lake Ashi in Hakone Town, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture, that enshrines Hakone Gongen, the foremost sacred mountain of the Kantō region. Since its founding in 757 (Tenpyō Hōji 1), it has drawn the faith of warriors of the eastern provinces and is a sacred site of a martial deity. The Hakone Shrine Treasure House holds swords, armor, ancient documents and other items dedicated over more than 1,200 years, from the Nara and Heian periods to modern times, and it is of special significance for understanding the sword culture of the warrior families of the Kantō region.

The most famous swords in the collection are the tachi “Mijinmaru” and “Usumidorimaru,” which are said to have been dedicated to the shrine by Minamoto no Yoritomo after they were used in the vendetta of the Soga brothers. Yoritomo deeply revered Hakone Gongen and regarded the shrine as one of the spiritual pillars of his activities as a warrior leader on the path to founding the Kamakura shogunate. These dedicated tachi are first-class historical sources that reveal the faith of Yoritomo, the founder of the warrior government, and they hold a position of the highest importance not only in the history of the Japanese sword but also in the history of warrior faith in the Kamakura period. Among the swords, the akagi-zuka tantō designated as an Important Cultural Property is a Kamakura-period tantō that, according to shrine tradition, belonged to Soga Gorō Tokimune.

Also, the shrine buildings, which were burned during the Odawara Campaign, were rebuilt by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who granted an estate of 200 koku, and the Edo shogunate extended strong protection to Hakone Gongen.

The torii gate standing on Lake Ashi in front of the shrine (the “Torii of Peace”) is known as one of the most spectacular scenic spots in Hakone. It lies at the heart of Hakone sightseeing, which combines Gora, Sengokuhara and Lake Ashi. From the perspective of sword enthusiasts as well, it is a facility worth visiting at least once, since it allows visitors to experience on site a connection to Minamoto no Yoritomo, one of the most important figures in the history of Japanese sword culture.