Hanitsu Shrine

Hanitsu Shrine (土津神社) is in Inawashiro-cho, Yama-gun, Fukushima Prefecture. It is dedicated to Masayuki Hoshina, the first lord of the Mutsu Aizu Domain. The Doitsu Shrine was built in 1675 on the grave site of Masayuki Hoshina, who was buried in Mineyama at the foot of Mount Bandai. The name 'Doitsu' (土津) derives from the name given by Tadatari Yoshikawa to Masayuki in 1671 when he gave him the profound knowledge of Yoshikawa Shinto. When Masayuki died the following year, on 4 February 1673, he was buried to the west of Iwahashi Shrine at the foot of Mount Mine, as per his will. Masayuki had hoped during his lifetime that after his death, he would become the last shrine of the Iwahashi Shrine, which enshrines the deity of Mount Bandai, and serve the deity forever. For this reason, Tsuchitsu Shrine has become the end shrine of Ban'ya Shrine. The shrine grounds now include the shrine pavilion, which was rebuilt in 1880, seven branch shrines, the 7.3 m high monument of Doitsu Reishin no Monument, inscribed with Yamazaki Yakusai's inscription of Masayuki's achievements, and Masayuki's gravesite in the inner sanctuary.