Kawagoe Hachimangu (Kawagoe Hachiman Shrine)

This is Ichinomiya (literally, the first shrine; the supreme shrine in the province) of Kawagoe, established by Minamoto Yorinobu in 1030 A.D., and located near where Maruhiro Department Store is now. It has been worshiped by numerous followers, both from and outside of the prefecture. The shrine has a large stout gingko tree called the “Nuptial Tie Ginkgo,” the origin of which was the fact that two different trees, one male and one female strain, were planted separately to celebrate the birth of Emperor Heisei, Akihito, and grew coherently and imperceptibly into one.