Owari Okunitama Shrine Haiden (Worship Hall)

A Restrained Worship Hall

The Owari Okunitama Shrine Haiden (Worship Hall) (尾張大国霊神社拝殿, Owari Okunitama jinja haiden) is the early Edo-period worship hall of Owari Okunitama Shrine (Konomiya) in Konomiya, Inazawa City, Aichi Prefecture, and it was designated an Important Cultural Property on June 22, 1955. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as 5 ken by 3 ken, a single storey with a gabled cypress-bark roof entered from the gable end, with three ridge tablets designated as attached items.

According to Inazawa City, although nominally 3 ken deep it actually measures 4 ken, all its posts are round, the floor is of polished boards and the building is open on all sides.

Why It Is an Important Cultural Property

The hall was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1955. Inazawa City explains that the central 2 ken form the core and the 1 ken on each side the aisles; the aisles show the roof structure while only the core has a ceiling. Showy design was generally favoured in the Momoyama and early Edo periods, but this hall faithfully keeps to the restrained, traditional wayo style.

Its value lies in expressing its standing through the arrangement of posts and roof rather than ornament. The gable-entry, gabled form also suits a worship hall approached from the front.

What to Look For

Notice the openness: rows of round posts and a wide floor of polished boards. The different ceiling treatment of core and aisles is a clue to reading the interior, according to the city.

Look at the roof too. The city records that the cypress-bark roof was re-covered in 1959 and again in 1994 and 1995.

Visiting the Haiden

The worship hall stands behind the tower gate and can be seen when visiting the shrine. Office hours, parking, access and the Hadaka Matsuri are on the Owari Okunitama Shrine (Konomiya) page.