Kokuo Shrine is famous as the final resting place of Taira no Masakado, who is famous in history textbooks, and I was curious about it and stopped by on my touring trip.
I was told that Kokuo Shrine is also home to a natural monument, so I wanted to take a look at the precious nature.
We will introduce Kokuo Shrine as a recommended touring spot for enthusiasts in the Kanto region.
What is King Shrine?
Kokuo Shrine is a shrine located in Bando City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and is dedicated to Taira no Masakado as the place where he spent his final moments and his final resting place.
King Shrine is officially written as Kokuo Shrine.
History of King Shrine (Kokuo Shrine)
Masakado’s third daughter, Nyozo-ni, who had escaped danger and lived in hiding at the time of Masakado’s death in battle, was born in February 972, the 33rd anniversary of Masakado’s death. It is said that Kokuo Shrine began when Masakado returned to the land of Bando, made a statue of Masakado using sacred wood found in the nearby forest, built a shrine, and enshrined it there.
The King Shrine was originally built to appease the spirit of Taira no Masakado.
Kokuo Shrine may still have a purpose as proof that in the past in Japan, if you lost a battle, you would be chased.
Arakashi, a natural monument, exists
There is an arakashi tree that is a natural monument at the King Shrine.
When you stop by a shrine, it’s worth taking a look.
There’s a nice atmosphere around here and I feel like I can get some power from it.
国王神社(國王神社)へのアクセス
Can I go to the King Shrine (Kokuo Shrine) on a Harley?
You can go to the King Shrine by Harley.
There is a community center behind the shrine on your right from the approach to the shrine, and you can park your motorcycle in the gravel parking lot in front of it.
There are no particularly steep slopes, so if you proceed carefully, you should have no problem parking even in a gravel parking lot.
As a precaution, we recommend securing the bottom of the stand with a flat surface to prevent the Harley body from sinking.
