A Small Square Storehouse of Bare Wood
The East Shinko sits behind the main sanctuary, in the northeast corner within the see-through fence. Built in 1940, it has a square plan roughly twelve shaku, about 3.6 meters, on each side, and it is entered from the gable end.
The roof is a gabled kirizuma form covered in copper plate. Across the front runs a narrow veranda, and to its left the storehouse is reached by a flight of stone steps beside a set of wooden ones. In a precinct where almost everything is finished in vermilion, its bare white-wood exterior gives it a face all its own.
White Wood as a Deliberate Contrast
The distinctive quality of the East Shinko is its shiraki, the unpainted, unlacquered white wood of its walls. Set among the red-lacquered halls and corridors, the plain timber reads as a quiet, older register, the kind of surface long associated with sacred storehouses.
It was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property on 3 September 2002. Together with the West Shinko it forms a symmetrical pair flanking the rear of the sanctuary, but the pointed white-wood finish is what makes the eastern storehouse stand out at a glance.
What to Look For
The contrast of pale wood against the surrounding vermilion is the thing to catch. Where the shrine's ceremonial buildings announce themselves in red, this small storehouse keeps to the natural color of its timber, a reminder that not every sacred structure was meant to dazzle.
Note the veranda across the front and the paired stone and wooden steps to one side, small touches of care on a building barely larger than a garden shed. It stands within the fenced rear, so close views are limited.
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Q&A
- How big is the East Shinko?
- Its plan is about twelve shaku, roughly 3.6 meters, square, entered from the gable end, making it one of the smallest registered buildings here.
- Why does it look different from the other buildings?
- Its walls are bare white wood, or shiraki, rather than vermilion lacquer, so it stands out against the red precinct.
- How does it relate to the West Shinko?
- The two form a symmetrical pair flanking the rear of the sanctuary, though the East Shinko is noted for its white-wood finish.
- Can I see it up close?
- Not readily. It stands within the fenced area behind the sanctuary, off the visitor path. The grounds are free to enter.
Basic Information
| Name | Heian Jingu East Shinko (sacred storehouse) |
|---|---|
| Location | 121 Okazaki Irie-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Registered | 21 August 2002 (gazetted 3 September 2002) |
| Registration no. | 26-0117 |
| Count | 1 building |
| Structure | Timber azekura log construction, copper-plate roof, floor area 13 m2; about 3.6 m square |
| Date | 1940 |
| Owner | Heian Jingu (religious corporation) |
| Access | Within the fenced rear of the sanctuary; close viewing limited |
References
- 国指定文化財等データベース（文化庁）
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002927
- 平安神宮 社殿・境内案内（公式）
- https://www.heianjingu.or.jp/map/guide/
- 平安神宮 公式サイト
- https://www.heianjingu.or.jp/
Last verified: 2026.07.02