Sagicho Shinji at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (鶴岡八幡宮 左義長神事)

What Is the Sagicho Shinji at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine?

The Sagicho Shinji (左義長神事) is a fire ritual held at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (鶴岡八幡宮) in Kamakura (鎌倉) every January 15 from 7:00 AM. Often called dondo-yaki (どんど焼き), it is a Koshogatsu (小正月) event, part of the “Little New Year” in mid-January. New Year decorations brought to the shrine, such as shimekazari (注連飾り), sacred straw ropes hung at entrances, kadomatsu (門松), pine and bamboo arrangements placed by the door, and koshinsatsu (古神札), old shrine talismans, are piled up and burned with sacred fire after a ceremony. The ritual purifies the start of the year and prays for a warm spring and a good harvest. It is also said to send off the toshigami (歳神), the deity welcomed into homes at New Year, along with the flames.

Date and Time

The Sagicho Shinji is held every January 15 from 7:00 AM. The burning follows the ceremony, and the fire usually dies down about an hour after the start, around 8:00 AM. The ritual site is an open area on the north side of Genji Pond (源氏池), next to Tsurugaoka Kindergarten (鶴岡幼稚園), on the east side of the approach to the Main Shrine (本宮).

Highlights

At the site stands the saito (さいと), a cone of green bamboo filled with New Year decorations and covered on the outside with straw ropes. The saito is usually more than 3 meters tall, and its number and shape vary from year to year.

At 7:00 AM, the priests arrive and the ceremony begins at an altar set up in front of the saito, with a purification rite (shubatsu, 修祓), Shinto prayers (norito, 祝詞) and the offering of sacred branches (tamagushi, 玉串). Onlookers also bow their heads and pray together with a representative of the worshippers. When the ceremony ends, a priest carries the sacred fire to the base of the saito and lights it, and the flames rise with loud cracks from the bursting bamboo. The New Year decorations that people have brought are also thrown into the fire. During the burning, the priests hand out the mandarin oranges that were offered at the altar to the onlookers.

Watching the Ritual

Many people come with their own New Year decorations, and these are burned on the spot. The shrine does not publish detailed rules on what you can bring, so if you are unsure, ask the shrine office. A fire engine stands by near the site. The grounds are cold in the early morning, and smoke fills the air during the burning, so dress warmly and do not get too close to the fire.

For the New Year visit from New Year’s Eve through the first three days of January, including how the lines and crowds work, see Hatsumode at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. For the work-starting ceremony of Kamakura’s builders, held in front of the Maiden (舞殿) on January 4, see Chona Hajime Shiki at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.

Access | Visiting During Your Stay at Toshi’s Place

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine is about a 10-minute walk from the East Exit of JR Kamakura Station (鎌倉駅) or from Enoden (江ノ電) Kamakura Station. If you are staying at Toshi’s Place, take the Enoden from Hase Station (長谷駅) or Wadazuka Station (和田塚駅) to Kamakura Station, then walk along Wakamiya-oji Avenue (若宮大路).

A ritual that starts at 7:00 AM is easy to attend when you stay overnight in Kamakura. At Toshi’s Place, fully unstaffed smart hotels with fully equipped kitchens and room-only stays, you can head out for the early-morning ritual at your own pace.

Summary

The Sagicho Shinji at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine takes place every January 15 from 7:00 AM beside Genji Pond, where New Year decorations are burned to send off the toshigami. Dress for the early-morning cold. For the shrine’s highlights throughout the year, see Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.

Basic Information

Item	Details
Name	Sagicho Shinji at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
Japanese name	鶴岡八幡宮 左義長神事
Date and time	Every January 15, from 7:00 AM (usually until around 8:00 AM)
Location	Ritual site on the north side of Genji Pond, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
Address	2-1-31 Yukinoshita, Kamakura, Kanagawa
What happens	A fire ritual in which a saito piled with New Year decorations and old talismans is burned with sacred fire
Notes	Cold in the early morning. Smoke during the burning. Ask the shrine office what you can bring
Access	About a 10-minute walk from the East Exit of JR Kamakura Station or Enoden Kamakura Station
Contact	Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine 0467-22-0315
Official Website	https://www.hachimangu.or.jp/matsuri/

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