Sendai City of Stars What is "Sendai Hexagram"? ×Heiwa Kotsu
①To the Sendai hexagram (barrier) course
Sendai, the City of Stars A mysterious star appears in the castle town "Sendai Hexagram"
What is a hexagram?
In Judaism, it is depicted on the flag of Israel as a sacred figure and is called the "Star of David".In Japan, it has been used as an amulet since ancient times, and it is famous that the stone lanterns around Ise Jingu are carved with basket weave crests.In Onmyodo, the yang star is represented by a pentagram and the yin star by a hexagram, both of which have been used to protect against various spiritual attacks.
What is Sendai Hexagram?
Starting from the Sendai Castle Honmaru, if you connect the main temples and shrines of Aoba Shrine, Tsutsujigaoka Tenmangu Shrine, Atago Shrine, Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, and Sendai Toshogu Shrine on the hill surrounding the castle town, a splendid hexagonal star shape will emerge. .
The mysterious star has an inclination of about 15 degrees to the north, south, east, and west, and the main roads and the castle town were built along that inclination.
Aoba Shrine
It enshrines Takefuruhiko-no-mikoto, the deity of Lord Masamune, his lawful wife Megohime, and his retainers.
After the death of Masamune, the object of worship was enshrined in the main enclosure, but when the main enclosure was dismantled in 6, Aoba Shrine was built on the west side of the precincts of Tosho-ji Temple in 7 and enshrined.
Osaki Hachiman Shrine
A general shrine built at the beginning of the construction of Sendai Castle, with a magnificent shrine building that has become a national treasure of the Momoyama architectural style.
When the Date family moved from Yonezawa in Yamagata Prefecture to Sendai via Mt. Iwade in Miyagi Prefecture, they enshrined Narushima Hachiman in Yonezawa and Osaki Hachiman in Mt.
This place was the cornerstone of the northwestern defense that monitored the comings and goings of Sakunami Highway.
Sendai Castle Honmaru
It is also called "Aoba Castle" because it is located on Mt.
One of the characteristics of Sendai Castle was the building called "Kakezukuri", which jutted out from the cliff.You can overlook the castle town from here, and from the castle town, you can see this hanging castle when you enter Yanagi-machi from Kitame-machi and head west.
Atago Shrine
Located south of the castle town, it sits on the summit of Mt. Atago across the Hirose River.
The shrine was built in the direction of Tatsumi when viewed from Sendai Castle Honmaru.
Atago Shrine played an important role as a monitoring point as the southern corner of the castle defense.
The Omotesando stone steps are said to have been about ３００ steps in the old days, and you can feel the height of the castle town.
Tsutsujigaoka Tenmangu Shrine
Built by Tsunamune, the third lord of the domain.
It enshrines Sugawara no Michizane (Tenma Daijizai Tenjin), the god of academics and politics.It was called "Tenjin Shrine" until the Showa 30s.
The adjacent Tsutsujigaoka Park is famous for its cherry blossoms, and is bustling with cherry blossom viewers every spring.
Sendai Toshogu
Founded by Tadamune, the second lord of the domain.
With the permission of the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu, Ieyasu, who was separated from Nikko Toshogu Shrine, is enshrined here.
This place is exactly the northeast (demon gate) of Aoba Castle, and is enshrined as a guardian deity of Sendai castle town.
The lines forming the hexagram are connected at a certain height
All 6 locations are on high ground.At that time, the domain ordinance stipulated that the maximum height of buildings should be limited to four and a half ken so as not to interfere with the line.
Four and a half ken is the height from the ground of the castle grounds, and it means that the building that exceeds it is not permitted.
On the surface, it seems that the reason is not to get in the way of the military purpose of "prospect", but in reality it was to protect the "barrier" that should not be known.
The line that connects each point is a path of intense "qi", and the flow of this qi must not be blocked.
②Go to the Four Gods (Feng Shui) Course
