A Stone Torii That Fell and Rose Again
At the center of the southern edge of the Amino Shrine precinct stands a stone torii, and from it the approach runs north toward the main hall. Built in 1881 (Meiji 14), it is a myojin-type gate, the variety whose upper lintels curve gently upward at the ends. At about 5.5 metres tall and 4.4 metres wide, it is a substantial piece of stonework, and it marks the threshold between the town of Amino and the sacred ground beyond.
The torii has not always stood where it stands now. When Amino Shrine built a new main hall in 1922 and reoriented its approach to face south toward the growing town center, the gate was moved to its present position to suit the new axis. Amino Shrine is an ancient foundation, recorded in the tenth-century Engishiki, but the arrangement a visitor sees today, gate, path and hall in line, took shape in the early twentieth century.
The 1927 Earthquake and the Repair of 1929
Stone is heavy and brittle, and torii are vulnerable at their joints. On 7 March 1927 the North Tango Earthquake struck close to Amino, and the stone gate toppled. Two years later, in 1929, it was raised again and reassembled to its former shape. The national register notes the relocation of the late Taisho years and the repair of 1929 in the same entry, so the gate's brief biography is written into its official record.
The torii was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2009 as one of eight structures at the shrine. Registration favours buildings that contribute to the historic character of the landscape, and a gate that frames the approach, survived a major quake and was carefully restored fits that description well.
What to Notice at the Gate
Look at how the gate is put together. On a low, rounded stone base the round columns rise at a slight inward lean, a subtle batter that carpenters call uchikorobi, giving the whole a settled, stable stance. The columns are roughly 0.46 metres across. They are tied by a horizontal nuki beam, and above sit the shimagi and the crowning kasagi, both carved with a swelling upward curve. The proportions follow long tradition rather than novelty, and the result looks quietly assured.
Passing beneath it is the natural way to begin a visit, since the path from here leads straight to the water pavilion and then to the halls. The grounds are open to all without charge, and the gate is at its most photogenic from the town side, where it reads against the trees of the precinct behind.
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Q&A
- How old is the stone torii?
- It was erected in 1881 (Meiji 14). It was moved to its current spot around 1922 and restored in 1929 after the 1927 earthquake.
- What is a myojin torii?
- A common torii form whose top lintels, the kasagi and shimagi, curve upward at the ends. This gate follows that traditional profile.
- Did it really fall in an earthquake?
- Yes. The 1927 North Tango Earthquake toppled it, and it was raised again to its original form in 1929.
- How big is it?
- About 5.5 metres high and 4.4 metres wide, built of stone with columns roughly 0.46 metres in diameter.
Basic Information
| Name | Stone Torii of Amino Shrine (Amino Jinja Ishi-torii) |
|---|---|
| Location | 789-1 Amino, Amino-cho, Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (registered 25 August 2009; registration no. 26-0341) |
| Quantity | One gate |
| Structure | Stone, myojin-type torii, height 5.5 m, width 4.4 m |
| Date | 1881 (Meiji 14); relocated in the late Taisho years; repaired 1929 |
| Owner | Amino Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Access | Grounds freely open. Roughly 30 minutes on foot from Amino Station |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database — Stone Torii of Amino Shrine
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007762
- Kyotango History and Culture Map — Amino Shrine
- https://kyotango-rekishibunka.jp/spot/165
- Kyotango City Tourism Association — Amino Shrine
- https://www.kyotango.gr.jp/sightseeing/698/
Last verified: 2026.07.03