A big votive-plaque hall in the south-west corner
The Imamiya Shrine Ema Hall (今宮神社絵馬舎, Imamiya Jinja Emasha) is a hall of 1800 for votive plaques in the south-west corner of Imamiya Shrine in Murasakino, Kita Ward, Kyoto City, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/03/27. At 113 square metres it is the largest of the shrine's registered buildings.
Ema are wooden plaques, often painted, offered with a prayer or in thanks. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the Imamiya Shrine Ema Hall, hung inside and out with many of them, shows the popular faith that surrounded the shrine. Where the sanctuaries are objects of worship, this hall is a record of what ordinary people asked for and gave thanks for.
Six bays, open on every side
The building runs north to south, six bays long and two deep, under a hip-and-gable roof of pantiles. It has no walls at all and stands on a raised stone base.
Thick square posts are locked together with tie beams, and simple boat-shaped brackets carry the plates. The eaves have a single layer of widely spaced rafters, and the gables show a tie beam with a vase-shaped post. The frame is plain, all posts and beams with nothing to interrupt them, which is exactly what a building for hanging plaques needs.
The shrine's website illustrates the plaques offered in the hall, old and new, large and small, lined up along the beams.
What to look for, and visiting
The Imamiya Shrine Ema Hall is open on all sides, so you can see right into it from outside. The plaques are offerings, so look but do not touch.
To appreciate its size, stand at the south-west corner and look north along it. For the structure, notice the heavy square posts, the tie beams and the row of brackets. Directions are on the Imamiya Shrine page.
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Q&A
- When was the Imamiya Shrine Ema Hall built?
- In 1800.
- Where is the Imamiya Shrine Ema Hall?
- In the south-west corner of the grounds, running north to south.
- How big is the Imamiya Shrine Ema Hall?
- Six bays by two, with a building area of 113 square metres, the largest of the shrine's registered buildings.
- Can I see the votive plaques in the Imamiya Shrine Ema Hall?
- Yes. The hall is open on all sides; please do not touch the plaques, which are offerings.
- Why is the Imamiya Shrine Ema Hall registered?
- For contributing to the historic landscape, as a building that shows the popular faith that grew up around the shrine.
Basic Information
| Name | Imamiya Shrine Ema Hall (今宮神社絵馬舎) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21 Imamiyacho, Murasakino, Kita-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 26-537 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/03/27 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, hip-and-gable pantile roof; building area 113 square metres |
| Owner | Imamiya Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Can be seen freely in the grounds (no charge) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Imamiya Shrine Ema Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012189
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures), report of 2017/11/17 (Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/pdf/r1392281_21.pdf
- Kyoto City official travel guide — Imamiya Shrine (Japanese)
- https://ja.kyoto.travel/tourism/single01.php?category_id=7&tourism_id=496
Last verified: 2026.10.01
