Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine: The Smallest Shrine in the Precinct
The Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine (都萬神社末社五林大明神社, Tsuma Jinja Massha Gorin Daimyojin Jinja) is a subsidiary shrine building of 1916 in the precinct of Tsuma Shrine in Karijuku, Osaki Town, Soo District, Kagoshima Prefecture, entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as the smallest of the subsidiary shrines, facing south just east of the main hall. It is a one-bay shrine in the flowing (Nagare-zukuri) style, built in the mise-dana form, with a copper-sheet roof and a footprint of only 0.53 square metres, roughly a third of a tatami mat. It was renovated around 2005.
Mise-dana, a shop-front shelf, describes a small shrine with no steps, its front floor projecting like a shelf; the name is usually explained by that likeness.
Why the Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine Was Registered
The Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine is registration number 46-0090, registered on 2 November 2009 under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country.
Read the Agency's description and what stands out is how complete the carpentry is at this scale. The pillars are square, with three-block brackets (Mitsudo-gumi) and two layers of closely set rafters. Between the porch and the body of the shrine runs a curved tie-beam, the prawn-shaped Ebi-kōryō, that locks the two together.
The porch pillars are square too, each topped by a three-block bracket with decorative beam ends (Kibana). The tie-beam across the front, a Kōryō, steps up twice before carrying a frog-leg strut (Kaerumata) at its centre. Less than one square metre of building holds the same kinds of parts as a full-size shrine, simply scaled down.
What to Look For
View the Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine from the side and you will see the prawn-backed beam arching from the porch pillar to the body of the shrine. It is a part more often met on the porches of large temple and shrine halls.
At the front, follow the tie-beam. Instead of running straight between the pillars, it rises in two steps before it meets the central strut.
The main hall lies to the west and the Sanno Shrine next door to the east. The Sanno Shrine has a hip-and-gable roof and a footprint of 1.2 square metres, and seeing the two side by side makes the smallness of this one obvious.
Visiting the Gorin Daimyojin Shrine
The Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine stands east of the main hall and can be seen from outside during a visit to the precinct. Its interior is not open.
Every part is small, and the curved beam and strut invite a close look, but please do not touch the shrine. We found no official guidance on photography. For directions and visiting conditions, see the Tsuma Shrine page.
Q&A
- What is the Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine?
- A subsidiary shrine of 1916 east of the main hall of Tsuma Shrine in Osaki, Kagoshima, built as a one-bay flowing-roof shrine in the mise-dana form with a copper roof.
- When was the Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine registered?
- It was registered on 2 November 2009 as number 46-0090.
- How big is the Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine?
- Its footprint is 0.53 square metres, making it the smallest of the subsidiary shrines at Tsuma Shrine.
- What should I look for at the Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine?
- The curved ebi-koryo beam joining the porch to the shrine body, and the front tie-beam that steps up twice to a central frog-leg strut.
- Can visitors enter the Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine?
- No. It can be seen from outside within the precinct.
Basic Information
| Name | Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine (都萬神社末社五林大明神社) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1589 Nishisako, Karijuku, Osaki Town, Soo District, Kagoshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/11/2 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, copper-sheet roof, building area 0.53 square metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Exterior visible within the precinct; interior not open |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Gorin Daimyojin Shrine, Tsuma Shrine (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007945
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Sanno Shrine, Tsuma Shrine (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007946
Last verified: 2026.09.27
