Hirohara Shrine
Hirohara Jinja Hirohara Shrine 紘原神社 | |
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North Sumatera, Indonesia | |
Geographic coordinates | 3°34′49.674″N 98°40′15.9312″E / 3.58046500°N 98.671092000°E |
Architecture | |
Date established | 1905[3][a] |
Groundbreaking | 1 April 1943 |
Completed | July 4, 1944[1] |
Site area | 148.500 m² |
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Hirohara Jinja (紘原神社, Hirohara Jinja, lit. "Hirohara Shrine") is a former Shinto shrine located in Medan, Indonesia. The shrine was built in 1944 by the 2nd Guards Division of the former Imperial Japanese Army.[4][1] It is situated slightly inland from the North Sumatra Governor’s Office, formerly known as the East Coast Provincial Office during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia.
The shrine is believed to be the last remaining surviving shrine building among those built by the former Japanese Imperial Army in various parts of the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere and the last in Southeast Asia.[5][4] The shrine remained after the war and is now used as a meeting place for the local rich as the 'Medan Club'. The building was designated as a heritage site and protected by the Medan city Government,[3] though the future of the site is uncertain.
Name
The 'Hiro' (紘) in Hirohara was taken from the Greater East Asia War principle 'Hakkō ichiu' (八紘一宇), and the 'Hara' (原) was named after the Indonesian word 'Medan' (field).[1][6] Another possible meaning of "Hiro" is wide or expansive.[2]
History
Medan had a sparse population nor had a rapid development until the middle of the
According to local accounts in Medan, preceding the establishment of the Hirohara Shrine at its current site, there existed a precursor Japanese shrine. Historian, Ichwan Azhari , explained that due to the influx of Japanese laborers to Medan, who were at the time recorded majority as adhering to Japanese Buddhism, it necessitated a designated place of worship for the growing community. Thus leading to the creation of the first iteration of the shrine.[3] According to the last head of the Medan Club, Eswin Soekardja, the shrine was made after when Japanese laborers entered and settled in Medan.[9]
Japanese invasion
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Nishimura_Takuma.jpg/130px-Nishimura_Takuma.jpg)
After the Fall of Singapore and the Invasion of Sumatra, on 1 June 1943, the 2nd Guards Division made the Medan area of Sumatra, Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) as their base of operations in Southeast Asia. Then lieutenant general, Takuma Nishimura, was appointed as the military Governor of Sumatra.[10] During the war, shrines were erected across occupied territories as places of prayer for victory and enhanced morale, in Indonesia alone there were 11 shrines.[11] Following this, Nishimura then initiated the construction of a shrine of his own on the land.[4] Accorrding to Prof. Nakajima Michio (Former Rector of Kanagawa University), the building was designed by Suzuki Hiroyuki, an architect from Japan's Home Ministry. The construction of Hirohara Shrine was ordered by the Japanese army, in co-operation with the Japanese private sector.[2] It is said that the that the wood used for the shrine was a “sacred tree” from deep within the Aceh mountains, supplied by the Showa Rubber branch in Medan during the military occupation, and that Dutch prisoners of war and Rōmusha's were employed in its construction, making it possibly the only shrine built by Christians.[12] One of them was Dutch writer, Willem Brandt . In his work, De gele terreur in 1946, he once described the condition:[13][14]
"... hasn't Sumatra become part of Japan? The avenues and streets are given unpronounceable Japanese names. Prisoners of war were put to work in the experimental garden of the Deli Experimental Station to dig a lotos pond and build a Japanese park with terraces and temples."
During the war, ceremonies were held at the Hirohara Shrine on the 1st and 15th of every month, with the 8th day designated for the
Medan club
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Outline_of_Hirohara_Shrine_1945.tif/lossless-page1-183px-Outline_of_Hirohara_Shrine_1945.tif.png)
In the aftermath of
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Dr._Hidayat_Medan_Club_Majalah_Varianada_Edisi_87_Tahun_1972.jpg/220px-Dr._Hidayat_Medan_Club_Majalah_Varianada_Edisi_87_Tahun_1972.jpg)
Following the departure of the Dutch from Indonesia, former
Amids financial difficulties, in 2018, the owners of the Medan Club opened the Medan Club to the public and turned the Medan club from an exclusive members only club into a high-end restaurant and meeting venue.[23][5] Using this option, on August 6, 2018, a seminar was held by the Consulate-General of Japan in Medan at the Medan Club, featuring various dignitaries as speakers to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Indonesia,. The celebration included cultural promotions such as Shodō, Sadō, Furoshiki Wrapping, as well as performance arts such as Yosakoi dance and karate.[24][25]
A year later, the owners then intended to retool the club into a 'night life' entertainment club. The sudden retooling brought scrutiny as the Medan club has not obtained the necessary business license for operating as a night entertainment venue and was only permitted under a restaurant license.[23] Amidst financial difficulties and the high cost of maintaining the shrine building, the Club find itself at the brink of bankruptcy.
Possible demolition
On 28 October 2021, the former shrine was officially designated as a cultural heritage site by the Medan City Government. This recognition was based on Medan City Government Decree (SK) number 433 of 2021, issued by Mayor Bobby Nasution.[3] Unexpectedly on 9 July, the provincial government bars the selling of the land to any third party other than the provincial government themselves. Then governor of North Sumatra, Edy Rahmayadi, revealed the plan of the North Sumatra Provincial Government to buy Medan Club. Deeming it necessary to develop the land and expand office facilities for the benefit of local government and the community.[26][27] Though a spokesperson vaguely stated that the purchase of the Medan Club won't necessarily result in "its disappearance," intending to buy other plots near the building to replace it.[28] The land was agreed to be bought for over Rp.457 billion (or $28,567,070.00 in USD) and has been estimated in the 2022 North Sumatran Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD) amounting to Rp.300 billion and the rest Rp.157 billion more, estimated in the 2023 North Sumatran APBD.[29] The purchase brought in criticism, starting from the urgency for the benefit of the people of North Sumatra, to the price.[30] The purchasing mechanism was also said to be violating the rules as the Shrine was built on the lands owned by the Sultanate of Deli,[31] who was thought to have never been compensated. Though the later was deemed to be legal after a ruling by the North Sumatra High Prosecutor's Office.[32]
On 16 January 2023, the barrier between the former shrine and the provincial office has been destroyed,[33] intending to use the land for parking space and local social activities for the time being.[34][35] Plans are underway to construct a multi-purpose building on this site, serving as a hub for public services, permits, and other administrative functions. The Detailed Engineering Design (DED) for the building is currently being prepared, with an estimated budget of around Rp500 million. The future of the former shrine is uncertain, with its complete demolition being a possibility.[34] As the area of the shrine including the shrine itself was designated as an office zone and the maximum building height for the area being 13 floors according to the City Regional Regulation No. 2/2015 on the Detailed Spatial Plan (RDTR) and Zoning Regulations of Medan City 2015-2035.[31][32]
Structure
The club’s premises, which likely encompass the site of the old main shrine, feature Western-style partitioned rooms where members can eat local and western foods. Although the torii gate has been removed, careful observation reveals remnants of its past shrine aesthetics. Several ancient trees, believed to have been part of the original temple grounds, still stand on the property.[12][5] According to Eswin Soekardja, the land encompassing the building used to be as large as 1.5 hectares (now 1.4 hectares),[9][28] including a golf course that may have previously been the shrine's garden,[9] extending to the Deli River.[2][9] The shamusho (社務所, shrine office), still remains the same, albeit partially altered.[1] Noticeably the flooring of the shrine; now ceramic tiling rather than wood paneling for the earthen floor.[5] It is thought that the shrine does not have a Honden (本殿, main hall)[1] Though this might be the fact that it was destroyed by later redevelopments in the area. The shrine used to formerly have an Ottori and a pond across the street to what is now an intersection.[2]
The exact main purpose of the shrine remains unclear, as the honden (and possibly the haiden) were destroyed and very little information exists. Researchers from the
Once infamous Dutch poet and writer, Rudy Kousbroek, visited the former shrine during his work for NRC Handelsblad in the 1980s. He described the former shrine as "possessing the sophistication of simplicity, modesty, and silence. Its unadorned surfaces, natural proportions, and raw wood evoked an aesthetic that had been cultivated over a thousand years, devoid of any display of power, ostentation, or vulgarity."[14] Later stating on his first visit:
"Here in Sumatra, I stared at it in amazement: it was the first time I saw two worlds coincide, worlds that are better kept separate for one's peace of mind. It reminded me of the Japanese I encountered during the war. They must have looked at this, at that wooden veranda, those red lacquered stairs. They must have celebrated their victories here, sat on this plank floor, and perhaps even enjoyed it. This time, it's not different people, but the same ones. The same individuals who built the Pakanbaroe railway also built this hall. By the same prisoners of war."[14]
Gallery
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Wedding ceremony group photo. Front row, second from left, the mediator, Lieutenant Generalmilitary writer (April 7, 1944.)[1]
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Same view, now a parking lot with remnants visible, the same trees untouched, and tree line preserved
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Hirohara Jinja, second building
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Shrine front balcony
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Medan Club entrance
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Interior of the shamusho
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Interior back
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interior front
References
- ^ ISSN 2432-549X.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Fitri, Isnen; Saidin, OK. & ITO, Masatoshi (2023-05-13). "Lecture: Tranformasi Peralihan Fungsi Gedung Medan Club Dari Tahun 1879-sekarang" (Lecture) (in Indonesian and Japanese). Jurusan Pendidikan Sejarah Universitas Negeri Medan. Retrieved 2024-05-28 – via YouTube.
{{cite AV media}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ a b c d "Dibeli Pemprov Sumut, Medan Club Sudah Ditetapkan Sebagai Cagar Budaya oleh Pemko Medan". Tribun-medan.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ a b c d "スマトラ.メダンにある日本の歴史遺産 紘原神社 - 「老人タイムス」私説". goo blog (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ ISBN 978-4-336-06342-7. Archived from the originalon 2023-08-01. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
- ^ a b "コタ.コタ インドネシア(6)メダン 神社転じてクラブ - 「老人タイムス」私説". goo blog (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ISBN 978-1-5017-1893-9, retrieved 2024-05-01
- ^ Kaneko, Mitsuharu (2004). マレー蘭印紀行 [Malay Orchid Travelogue] (in Japanese) (revised Chuko Bunko ed.).
- ^ a b c d NgeHank - Bangunan Tertua Di Medan, Medan Club. Waspada.Id. Retrieved 2024-05-01 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ Shinozaki, Mamoru (April 1978). Lieutenant General Nishimura's sense of responsibility - Behind the war crimes trial. Vol. 36. Shi. pp. 48–53.
- ^ Dendy (2017-03-17). "Malang Gudang Sejarah Belanda dan Jepang". Jurnalis Malang. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
- ^ a b c d "『 紘原(ひろはら)神社』". 1000都物語 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- OL 6159577M.
- ^ a b c Kousbroek, Rudy (1980-08-01). "Duizend Jaar Nadenken". NRC Handelsblad. p. 15 – via delpher.nl.
- ^ OCLC 673871439.
- The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). ACT: National Library of Australia. 6 December 1969. p. 3. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
- ISBN 978-9971-69-637-5.
- OL 6209293M.
- ^ a b c d "Pembelian Medan Club: "Lemahnya Dinas Kominfo Sumut"". AgioDeli.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-16.
- ^ a b "White Society". Stories from Deli. 2020-09-30. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
- ^ "1879 Club house of the Witte Societeit, Medan". 1879 Club house of the Witte Societeit, Medan ~ Tembakau Deli. 22 March 2013. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ Redaksi. "Medan Club Tunggak PBB 6 Tahun - Sumut Pos". Medan Club Tunggak PBB 6 Tahun - Sumut Pos (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ a b Redaksi. "Pembangunan Tempat Hiburan Malam di Medan Club, IMB dan Peruntukannya sebagai Restoran - Sumut Pos". Pembangunan Tempat Hiburan Malam di Medan Club, IMB dan Peruntukannya sebagai Restoran - Sumut Pos (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ "Acara Peringatan 60 Tahun Hubungan Diplomatik Jepang – Indonesia". Konsulat Jenderal Jepang di Medan. 6 August 2018.
- ^ "Promosikan Kebudayaan Jepang pada Warga Medan". Analisadaily.com. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ Bisnis, Harian Medan. "Gubernur Edy Ungkap Rencana Pemprov Sumut Beli Medan Club". Benny Pasaribu - MedanBisnisDaily.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ "Lahan Medan Club Mau Dijual, Edy Rahmayadi Sebut Pemprov Sumut yang Harus Beli". Tribun-medan.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ a b Rachmad, Edy (2021-07-07). "Perluasan Kantor, Pemprovsu Berencana Beli Medan Club". beritasore.co.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-05-11.
- ^ "Pemprov Sumut Klaim Sudah Beli Lahan Medan Club, Akan Dijadikan Kantor Satu Atap". Tribun-medan.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ "Pembelian Lahan Medan Club Dinilai Terlalu Mahal, Ini Penjelasan Setdaprovsu - Berita Ter Update Hari Ini" (in Indonesian). 2022-12-23. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
- ^ a b Gunawan, Indra. "Isu panas pembelian Medan Club, Pemprov Sumut mengaku dapat pendampingan hukum dari Kejaksaan - Sumatera Insider". Sumatera Insider (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ a b Lubis, Ahmad Arfah Fansuri. "Pemprov Beli Medan Club Rp 457 M untuk Perluasan Kantor Gubsu". detiksumut (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ Simbolon, Radja P. (2023-01-16). "Tembok pembatas Medan Club dirubuhkan usai pelunasan lahan". Topmetro News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ a b Ritonga, Rechtin Hani. "Pemprov Sumut Mulai Gunakan Medan Club". Benny Pasaribu - MedanBisnisDaily.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ "Bangunan Eks Medan Club, Difungsikan Sementara Kegiatan Sosial bagi Masyarakat - Sumut Pos". Bangunan Eks Medan Club, Difungsikan Sementara Kegiatan Sosial bagi Masyarakat - Sumut Pos (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-04-17.