Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine: A Small Hip-and-Gable Shrine
The Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine (都萬神社末社伊勢宮, Tsuma Jinja Massha Isemiya) is a small 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 that it faces south just west of the main hall. It is 1 bay square, with a hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) copper-sheet roof, a one-bay porch (Kōhai) and a footprint of 1.2 square metres. It was renovated around 2005.
Round pillars carry three-block brackets (Mitsudo-gumi), a frog-leg strut (Kaerumata) fills the middle of the bay, and the eaves have two layers of closely spaced rafters. The front is closed with a lattice door; the sides and back are walled with horizontal boards.
Why the Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine Was Registered
The Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine is registration number 46-0088, registered on 2 November 2009 together with the main hall, the worship hall and the other subsidiary shrines, under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country.
The Agency notes that the strut and brackets on the porch are made a size larger than you might expect. The shrine itself is only one bay square, yet the pieces that greet a worshipper first are scaled up.
The strut is carved with Meoto Iwa, the Wedded Rocks: the pair of rocks, one large and one small, bound by a sacred straw rope in the sea at Futamigaura in Ise, Mie Prefecture. A shrine named for Ise thus carries a well-known image of the Ise coast on its front.
What to Look For
At the Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine, look first at the porch strut. The Wedded Rocks are carved small, so stand squarely in front and take your time.
Compare the lattice door with the plain board walls on the sides and back. Of the four subsidiary shrine records, only this one mentions them, and they show clearly how the shrine opens only to the front.
The Inari Shrine stands next door to the west, and the Gorin Daimyojin Shrine on the far side of the main hall to the east. This shrine has a hip-and-gable roof, the Inari Shrine a flowing (Nagare-zukuri) roof and the Gorin Daimyojin Shrine a shelf-front version of the flowing style, so the row does not share a single roof type.
Visiting the Ise Shrine
The Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine stands west of the main hall and can be seen from outside when you visit the precinct. Its interior is not open.
The building is small, so take care not to touch the lattice door or the carving. We found no official guidance on photography. Directions and visiting conditions for the precinct are on the Tsuma Shrine page.
Q&A
- What is the Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine?
- A small subsidiary shrine of 1916 west of the main hall of Tsuma Shrine in Osaki, Kagoshima. It is 1 bay square with a hip-and-gable copper roof, a one-bay porch and a footprint of 1.2 square metres.
- When was the Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine registered?
- It was registered on 2 November 2009 as number 46-0088.
- What is carved on the Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine?
- The frog-leg strut on the porch is carved with Meoto Iwa, the Wedded Rocks of Futamigaura in Ise. The porch strut and brackets are made slightly oversized.
- Where is the Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine in the precinct?
- It faces south just west of the main hall, with the Inari Shrine next to it farther west.
- Can visitors enter the Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine?
- No. It is seen from outside within the Tsuma Shrine precinct.
Basic Information
| Name | Ise Shrine, a Branch Shrine of Tsuma Shrine (都萬神社末社伊勢宮) |
|---|---|
| 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 1.2 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: Ise Shrine, Tsuma Shrine (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007943
- 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: Inari Shrine, Tsuma Shrine (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007944
Last verified: 2026.09.27
