Sakanoue no Tamuramaro
There are several legends concerning the origin of the name “Hachimantai”. In one legend, the late Nara period General Sakanoue no Tamuramaro pursued a group of Emishi warriors into the area, and was so impressed with the natural beauty of the region that he said it must be the abode of the "kami" Hachiman. In another legend, the area was named after Minamoto Yoshiie, a late Heian period warrior whose nickname was “Hachiman Tarō”.