Nogi Shrine

Nogi Shrine in Zentsuji

Nogi Shrine (乃木神社, Nogi Jinja) in Bunkyocho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture, is dedicated to General Nogi Maresuke and his wife Shizuko; its main hall, worship hall, chozuya purification pavilion and torii, all built in 1937, were registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on February 14, 2002 (Agency for Cultural Affairs). All four belong to Sanuki-gu, the Kagawa Gokoku Shrine.

Walk west from JR Zentsuji Station along Kataharamachi-dori and a block of woodland appears beside the wide road west of Shikoku Gakuin University. Two shrines share it: Sanuki-gu, and to the right as you face the trees, Nogi Shrine, marked by a plain torii in the shinmei style (Zentsuji City). The Kagawa Prefecture Tourism Association places Nogi Shrine immediately north of Sanuki-gu.

General Nogi and Zentsuji

Nogi arrived in Zentsuji in 1898 as the first commander of the Imperial Army's 11th Division, which was based in the town, and stayed two years and eight months (Zentsuji City). He went on to lead the Third Army at Port Arthur in the Russo-Japanese War and later headed the Gakushuin school.

On the day of Emperor Meiji's funeral in 1912, Nogi and Shizuko took their own lives. Zentsuji City relates that crowds of people moved by his example came to the Nogi house, and a Nogi Society was formed to honour the couple. Shrines connected with him were founded in Tokyo and a few other places; the one in Zentsuji is among them.

The sources give different dates. Zentsuji City says the shrine was built in 1935, while the Agency for Cultural Affairs dates all four registered structures to 1937. No source was found that explains the gap.

Layout of the Grounds

The approach to Nogi Shrine comes in from the Shikoku Gakuin University side. Roughly halfway along stands the granite torii, with the chozuya just to the left once you pass through it. The path jogs at right angles in front of the shrine office, then leads to the worship hall, with the main hall behind it to the west, facing east (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The Agency notes that the main hall stands north of the former site of the 43rd Infantry Regiment.

The four registered structures are listed below (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Each has its own page describing its construction.

• Main Hall: three-bay shinmei-zukuri hall with free-standing ridge posts, copper roof, building area 40 square metres (registration number 37-0085)
• Worship Hall: five bays across, with an offering hall and a ritual storeroom projecting behind, copper roof, building area 104 square metres (37-0086)
• Chozuya: gabled pavilion open on all four sides, copper roof, building area 8.3 square metres (37-0088)
• Torii: granite shinmei torii, 3 metres high (37-0089)

A Set of Straight Lines

All four were registered as structures that have become models of design (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The main hall is in the Shinmei-zukuri style, and the rest follow its lead: the worship hall keeps to the same straight, spare lines, with Chigi and Katsuogi on the ridge, and the torii is a shinmei type built entirely of straight members. The chozuya stands on posts with no inward lean, braced by Hikaebashira and tied with Nuki and beams.

Zentsuji City points out that the buildings are plain and sparing in ornament, unlike conventional shrine architecture, and says it has been suggested that an architect rather than a master carpenter designed them. No primary source naming the designer was found.

Visiting and Getting There

Nogi Shrine is about 10 minutes on foot from JR Zentsuji Station, on the left at the junction of Kataharamachi-dori and the Zentsuji-Onohara road (Zentsuji City). By car it is about 10 minutes from the Zentsuji interchange, and Sanuki-gu next door has a car park (Zentsuji City; Kagawa Prefecture Tourism Association). The association gives the Sanuki-gu telephone number, 0877-62-0048, for enquiries.

No official information on opening hours or admission charges was found, and none on opening the buildings' interiors, so a visit is mainly a matter of viewing the exteriors from the grounds.