Walk in Osaka – Hokoku Shrine
Hokoku Shrine (豊國神社) is a Shinto shrine located in Chuo Ward, Osaka City, Japan. It is one of several Toyokuni shrines built in honor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and is part of the Osaka Castle Park.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉, 17 March 1537 – 18 September 1598), otherwise known as Kinoshita Tōkichirō (木下 藤吉郎) and Hashiba Hideyoshi (羽柴 秀吉), was a Japanese samurai and daimyō (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period and regarded as the second “Great Unifier” of Japan.
Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長, 23 June 1534 – 21 June 1582) was a Japanese daimyō and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He was the Tenka-bito (天下人, lit. ’person under heaven’) and regarded as the first “Great Unifier” of Japan.
During the Siege of Takamatsu, on June 21, 1582, Oda Nobunaga and his eldest son and heir, Nobutada, were killed in the Honnō-ji incident by the forces of the traitorous Akechi Mitsuhide. Their assassination in Honnō-ji temple in Kyoto ended Nobunaga’s quest to consolidate centralised power in Japan under his authority.
Hideyoshi, seeking vengeance for the death of his lord, made peace with the Mōri clan and thirteen days later met Mitsuhide and defeated him at the Battle of Yamazaki, avenging his lord (Nobunaga) and taking Nobunaga’s authority and power for himself.
Although he came from a peasant background, his immense power earned him the rank and title of Kampaku (関白, Imperial Regent) and Daijō-daijin (太政大臣, Chancellor of the Realm), the highest official position and title in the nobility class.
He was the first person in history to become a Kanpaku who was not born a noble. He then passed the position and title of Kampaku to his nephew, Toyotomi Hidetsugu.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi remained in power as Taikō (太閤), the title of retired Kampaku, until his death. It is believed, but not certain, that the reason he refused or could not obtain the title of shogun (征夷大将軍), the leader of the warrior class, was because he was of peasant origin.
Video: Osaka, Japan Hōkoku Shrine – 大阪 豐國神社 | 豊国神社 ほうこくじんじゃ from City Walker – your virtual travel partner on Youtube ⁄ CC BY
