A Tiny Shrine Deep in the Precinct
In the far north of the precinct at Yugyo-ji sits a shrine so small it registers a floor area of just 3.6 square metres, yet it is dense with carving. This is Ugajinja, a shrine within the temple grounds dedicated to Ugajin, a deity often merged with the goddess Benzaiten. Its front bay is fronted by a worship canopy, and the whole is roofed in an unusual gable-fronted irimoya form with a cusped eave gable.
Shojoko-ji, popularly Yugyo-ji, is the head temple of the Ji-shu sect, and like many Japanese temples it keeps within its grounds a small shrine to a protective deity. Here that shrine is treated with the care of a jewel box.
Why the Shrine Is Registered
Registered in 2016 for its contribution to the historic landscape, the shrine measures one bay across the front and two bays deep. The gable ends front and back are shaped in a kato-frame style, and the water-bearing rainbow beam carries openwork brackets, above which straw-raincoat struts rise to support the purlins, features the registration notes as distinctive.
Around the worship canopy the carving is especially dense, so that a shrine of the smallest scale becomes a concentrated display of the woodcarver's art.
What to Look For
Despite its size, the shrine repays a close look: the cusped eave gable, the kato-frame gable ends, and the openwork brackets on the rainbow beam. Its position deep in the north of the precinct makes it a quiet discovery for those who walk the whole grounds.
The shrine stands in the open precinct and can be seen freely during daytime hours.
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Q&A
- What is Ugajinja?
- A small shrine within the temple grounds dedicated to Ugajin, a deity often identified with the goddess Benzaiten. It sits in the far north of the precinct.
- How large is it?
- Very small, with a registered floor area of just 3.6 square metres, the smallest of the ten registered structures here.
- Why is it registered if it is so small?
- For its contribution to the historic landscape and its dense, distinctive carving, including a cusped eave gable and openwork brackets.
- When was it built?
- In the early Meiji period, roughly 1868 to 1882.
- Can I see it?
- Yes. It stands in the open precinct and can be viewed freely in the daytime, near the north end of the grounds.
Basic Information
| Name | Ugajinja Shrine of Shojoko-ji (Yugyo-ji) |
|---|---|
| Location | 神奈川県藤沢市西富一丁目208 (Fujisawa, Kanagawa) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Registered | 25 February 2016 (Reg. no. 14-0212) |
| Date | Early Meiji (c. 1868-1882) |
| Structure | Timber, single-storey; copper roof; building area approx. 3.6 sq m |
| Owner | Religious corporation Shojoko-ji |
| Access | In the open precinct; viewable in daytime |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — National Cultural Properties Database (Ugajinja)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010939
- Yugyo-ji (Shojoko-ji) official site
- https://yugyoji.or.jp/
- Fujisawa City Tourism — Yugyo-ji
- https://www.fujisawa-kanko.jp/spot/fujisawa/03.html
- Shojoko-ji — Wikipedia (Japanese)
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B8%85%E6%B5%84%E5%85%89%E5%AF%BA
Last verified: 2026.07.05