すぐ八幡宮 Stone

Deep within the serene landscapes of Kyoto, nestled on the slopes of Mount Otokoyama, rests the Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū Stone. This unassuming stone, etched with the characters “Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū,” holds a secret connection to one of history’s greatest inventors: Thomas Edison. Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū Shrine, a place of profound historical and cultural significance, was established in 859 by the monk Gyokyo under Emperor Seiwa’s decree. Dedicated to Hachiman, the God of War, this shrine has witnessed centuries of emperors, shoguns, and worshippers seeking its blessings. But it was in the late 19th century that Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū’s destiny intertwined with the burgeoning world of electricity. Edison, while developing his incandescent light bulb, sought a durable filament. His assistant, William H. Moore, discovered the remarkably resilient bamboo growing in the shrine’s groves. This bamboo, with its unique strength, became the key ingredient, allowing Edison’s first bulbs to burn for over 1,000 hours. Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū’s bamboo illuminated the path to a brighter future. Today, a stone memorial stands within the shrine grounds, commemorating Edison’s ingenuity and the shrine’s unexpected contribution to this world-changing invention. Each year on May 4th, a “Festival of Light” bathes the shrine in the warm glow of thousands of bamboo lanterns, a tribute to Edison’s legacy. The Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū Stone, therefore, is more than just a marker. It represents a unique intersection of history, innovation, and nature’s gifts. It whispers a tale of how a sacred shrine in Kyoto played a small but crucial role in bringing light to the world.