A Small Shrine at the Head of the Grounds
Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine (岩崎家住宅祠, Iwasaki-ke Jūtaku Hokora) is a small household shrine at Iwasaki Yatarō's birthplace in Inokuchi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, built in 1908 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2010. It stands at the middle of the northern edge of the grounds, facing south.
It is a one-bay Nagare-zukuri shrine, the form with a long roof sweeping forward over the front, tiled in Sangawara-buki, with a building area of 2.6 square metres. A sill frame rests on a base of piled natural stone, and the posts rise from that.
The posts of the inner sanctuary are octagonal, braced with Nageshi tie beams and penetrating ties, and carry the eave purlins and beams directly. The rafters are widely spaced in a single tier, and the gable is decorated with a Taiheizuka strut. The front porch (Kōhai) rests on square posts topped with Mitsudo-gumi bracketing, with a Kaerumata frog-leg strut at the centre.
A Shrine Bearing the Diamond Crest
The Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. Small as it is, it is assembled with the full vocabulary of temple and shrine carpentry, down to the bracketing and the frog-leg strut.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs draws particular attention to the diamond crest displayed on the front of the sanctuary. Built in 1908, the shrine of the family's home grounds carries the crest on its most prominent face. It is one place where the link between the Iwasaki family crest and the Mitsubishi mark can be seen on a building.
The octagonal posts deserve attention too. Shrine posts are usually round or square, and octagonal ones on a household shrine this small are unusual.
Up Close
Because the Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine is so small, all its details sit at eye level when you stand in front of it. Take in the frog-leg strut and bracketing of the porch first, then the octagonal posts of the sanctuary behind, and finally the crest on its front; the layers of construction are easiest to follow in that order.
From the side you can see the long forward sweep of the nagare-zukuri roof and the strut in the gable. The stone base below lifts the shrine onto slightly raised ground at the north of the grounds.
Visiting the Hokora Shrine
The Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine can be viewed from outside during the grounds' opening hours. Please do not touch the shrine or climb onto its base.
Published sources do not identify the deity enshrined here. Press and other filming requires the owners' permission. Opening hours and directions are covered on the Iwasaki Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine built?
- In 1908. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2010.
- Does the Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine really carry the Mitsubishi crest?
- Yes. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, a diamond crest is displayed on the front of the sanctuary.
- What style is the Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine?
- A one-bay nagare-zukuri shrine with a tiled roof and a building area of 2.6 square metres. The sanctuary has octagonal posts; the porch has square posts with three-bearing bracketing and a frog-leg strut.
- Where is the Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine on the grounds?
- At the middle of the northern edge of the property, facing south, beyond the Main House and the storehouses.
- What is special about the posts of the Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine?
- The sanctuary posts are octagonal, braced with tie beams and carrying the eave purlins and beams directly, which is unusual for a household shrine.
Basic Information
| Name | Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine (岩崎家住宅祠) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1696 Ko, Inokuchi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, and adjoining lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 39-0258 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/04/28 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Timber one-bay nagare-zukuri shrine, tiled roof; building area 2.6 m² |
| Owner | Private (Iwasaki family) |
| Public Access | Exterior free to view |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008205
- Cultural Heritage Online: Iwasaki Family Residence Hokora Shrine
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/216470
- Aki City: Iwasaki Yataro Birthplace (Japanese)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/life/dtl.php?hdnKey=45
Last verified: 2026.09.25
