A Plain-Wood Toshogu of 1628
The Toshogu Shrine Main Hall (Hirosaki) (東照宮本殿) is a shrine main hall of 1628 in Sasamori-cho, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on November 14, 1953 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey hall three bays square, entered at the gable end, with a hip-and-gable roof of wooden shingles and a one-bay porch under a cusped karahafu eave; designation number 01247.
The Toshogu of the Hirosaki Domain
The Toshogu Shrine Main Hall in Hirosaki was built in 1628 as the main hall of a shrine to Tokugawa Ieyasu (Aomori Prefecture). It stands at 38-2 Sasamori-cho, Hirosaki City, and is owned by the city.
The Aomori Prefectural Board of Education notes that, compared with the Toshogu shrines of other domains, it is plain and simple, built of unpainted wood.
Why It Is an Important Cultural Property
According to the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education, Momoyama-period building skill is evident in the Toshogu Shrine Main Hall from its carved details to its main structure, and it ranks among the finest shrine buildings in the prefecture.
What to Look For
The hall is three bays square under a shingled hip-and-gable roof, entered at the gable end (Aomori Prefecture). A veranda runs all the way round, and the one-bay porch at the front has a cusped karahafu eave, tied to the hall by curved shrimp-shaped beams (ebi-koryo).
At the Toshogu Shrine Main Hall in Hirosaki, compare the bare unpainted timber with the Momoyama-style curves of the karahafu and the shrimp-shaped beams.
Visiting
According to the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education, only the exterior of the Toshogu Shrine Main Hall is open to view. Enquiries go to the Hirosaki City Board of Education cultural properties section (0172-82-1642).
Q&A
- When was the Toshogu Shrine Main Hall in Hirosaki built?
- In 1628 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is distinctive about it?
- It is plain unpainted wood compared with other domains' Toshogu, yet carries Momoyama-period skill throughout.
- What form does the hall take?
- Three bays square, hip-and-gable, entered at the gable end, with a shingle roof and a porch under a karahafu eave.
- Can I visit the Toshogu Shrine Main Hall in Hirosaki?
- Only the exterior is open; contact the Hirosaki City Board of Education (0172-82-1642).
- When was the Toshogu Shrine Main Hall (Hirosaki) designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On November 14, 1953 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Toshogu Shrine Main Hall (Hirosaki) (東照宮本殿) |
|---|---|
| Location | 38-2 Sasamori-cho, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1953/11/14 (Showa 28) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Three bays by three bays, single storey, hip-and-gable roof, gable entry, one-bay porch with karahafu eave, wooden shingle roof |
| Owner | Hirosaki City |
| Public Access | Exterior only |
References
- Toshogu Shrine Main Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/63
- Toshogu Shrine Main Hall (Aomori Prefectural Board of Education, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/soshiki/kyoiku/e-bunka/jubun_kenzoubutu_13.html
Last verified: 2026.10.14