What is the Hakozaki Shrine Torii?
The Hakozaki Shrine Torii (筥崎宮鳥居, Hakozaki-gū Torii) in Hakozaki 1-chome, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City, is a stone torii gate of the myōjin type erected in 1609 and designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan on June 22, 1955.
At the shrine it is called the Ichi-no-Torii, the first torii. Hakozakigu counts its torii outward from the Main Hall, so this stone gate at the entrance on Daigaku-dori street is number one. It follows the Myōjin torii form, but its upper beams have such a distinctive shape that the shrine calls the type the "Hakozaki torii." The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as the representative example of that type.
It was set up by Kuroda Nagamasa, the first lord of the Fukuoka domain. Its pillars are inscribed with a date in the middle of the autumn of Keichō 14 and the words "erected by Toyotomi Kuroda Chikuzen-no-kami Nagamasa." The inscription itself tells us that Nagamasa donated the gate in the autumn of 1609.
Why the Hakozaki Shrine Torii matters
The Hakozaki Shrine Torii was the last of the four structures here to be designated, on June 22, 1955. Fukuoka City calls it a representative torii of Kyushu, with a solid presence fitting a lord's gift to a major shrine.
The key is the top. On a standard myōjin torii, the uppermost lintel (Kasagi) and the beam beneath it (shimaki) are separate pieces, and both curve upward at the ends. On the Hakozaki Shrine Torii the two are carved from a single stone, which Fukuoka City describes as a stylized form in which they survive only as a molded projection. The ends lift sharply in what is called a hōchō-zori, a curve like the edge of a kitchen knife.
The shrine points to one more feature: the tie beam (Nuki) is exactly as long as the top lintel. On most myōjin torii the lintel reaches out well beyond the tie beam, so here the ends of the upper and lower crosspieces line up.
What to look for at the Hakozaki Shrine Torii
Look first at the feet of the pillars. According to the shrine, each pillar of the Hakozaki Shrine Torii is made of three stacked sections that thicken toward the bottom and run straight into the base stones. Fukuoka City also singles out the thickness of the pillars.
Then look at the stone itself. Fukuoka City says it was brought from Takashima in old Hizen Province, now part of Nagasaki Prefecture, and it has a dark, rough surface. If you are used to pale granite torii, the color stands out.
The inscriptions are on the faces of the pillars. See if you can pick out the characters for Keichō (慶長) and Kuroda Chikuzen-no-kami Nagamasa (黒田筑前守長政).
How to see the Hakozaki Shrine Torii
The Hakozaki Shrine Torii stands at the entrance to the grounds and is the gate you walk through to reach the approach, so it can be seen up close without any arrangement. Please do not climb on it.
This is also the place for photographs. The shrine recommends the spot at the Ichi-no-Torii as one where the torii, the Tower Gate and the Main Hall all fit into a single frame. Shooting from straight in front also shows the matched lengths of the lintel and tie beam. Personal photographs are fine, but drones are not allowed.
From 11:00 p.m. on December 31 to 8:00 p.m. on January 1, Daigaku-dori in front of the Hakozaki Shrine Torii becomes pedestrian-only and fills with New Year visitors. Directions and opening hours are on the Hakozakigu Shrine page.
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Q&A
- When was the Hakozaki Shrine Torii built, and by whom?
- Kuroda Nagamasa, first lord of the Fukuoka domain, erected it in 1609. The year and his name are carved on the pillars.
- When did the Hakozaki Shrine Torii become an Important Cultural Property?
- On June 22, 1955, the most recent of the shrine's four Important Cultural Properties.
- What is a "Hakozaki torii" like the Hakozaki Shrine Torii?
- A myōjin torii whose top lintel and the beam below it are carved from one stone, with ends that flick up like a knife edge. The tie beam is as long as the lintel, and the pillars are built of three sections that thicken toward the base.
- Where does the stone of the Hakozaki Shrine Torii come from?
- According to Fukuoka City, from Takashima in old Hizen Province, now Nagasaki Prefecture. It is dark and rough-textured.
- Where is the best spot to photograph the Hakozaki Shrine Torii?
- Straight in front of it. The shrine notes that from here the torii, the Tower Gate and the Main Hall fit into one picture.
Basic Information
| Name | Hakozaki Shrine Torii |
|---|---|
| Location | Hakozaki 1-chome, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | June 22, 1955 |
| Quantity | 1 torii |
| Dimensions | Unknown (not given in the Agency database). Stone myojin torii |
| Owner | Hakozaki Shrine |
| Public Access | Stands at the entrance to the grounds and can be viewed freely |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Hakozaki Shrine Torii (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/3462
- Fukuoka City Cultural Properties: Hakozaki Shrine Torii (Japanese)
- https://bunkazai.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/cultural_properties/detail/141
- Fukuoka City Cultural Properties: Hakozakigu Shrine (Japanese)
- https://bunkazai.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/cultural_properties/detail/498
- Hakozaki Shrine (official): Guide to the grounds (Japanese)
- https://hakozakigu.or.jp/keidai/
- Hakozaki Shrine (official): Access (Japanese)
- https://hakozakigu.or.jp/access/
Last verified: 2026.10.04
