A tiny Hachiman shrine south of Hassha
The Imamiya Shrine Hachimansha (今宮神社八幡社, Imamiya Jinja Hachimansha) is a late Edo shrine (1751 to 1830) facing east just south of the Hassha on the west side of Imamiya Shrine in Murasakino, Kita Ward, Kyoto City, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/03/27. With a building area of 0.9 square metres, it is the smallest of the shrine's 32 registered buildings.
North of Wakamiyasha stands a row of small shrines laid out in the Genroku revival and the late Edo period. The Imamiya Shrine Hachimansha belongs to the later phase, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs praises it as an auxiliary shrine of elaborate workmanship.
An open front room inside the sanctum
It is a one-bay nagare-zukuri shrine roofed in copper sheet. A veranda with upturned railings runs across the front and sides to side screens.
The sanctum is divided front and back by engaged posts and panelled doors, and the front part is left open, so this tiny building has a kind of antechamber of its own.
The canopy bracketing is clever as well: the bracket arms along the front are extended inward and supported on bearing blocks set on a rainbow-shaped tie beam. Few buildings this small carry so much detail.
What to look for, and visiting
The Imamiya Shrine Hachimansha can be seen from the path on the west side of the grounds and cannot be entered. From the front, note the two layers: the open space and the panelled doors behind.
From a front corner you can see the bracket arms running inward. Hachiman is also enshrined in the Hassha next door to the north, so look at the two together. Directions are on the Imamiya Shrine page.
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Q&A
- When was the Imamiya Shrine Hachimansha built?
- In the late Edo period, between 1751 and 1830.
- How small is the Imamiya Shrine Hachimansha?
- Its building area is 0.9 square metres, the smallest of the shrine's 32 registered buildings.
- What is special about the Imamiya Shrine Hachimansha?
- Its sanctum is split front and back with an open front room, and its canopy bracket arms extend inward.
- Can I go inside the Imamiya Shrine Hachimansha?
- No. The exterior can be seen from the path on the west side of the grounds.
- Where is the Imamiya Shrine Hachimansha?
- On the west side of the grounds, just south of the Hassha, facing east.
Basic Information
| Name | Imamiya Shrine Hachimansha (今宮神社八幡社) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21 Imamiyacho, Murasakino, Kita-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 26-546 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/03/27 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, one-bay nagare-zukuri shrine with copper-sheet roof; building area 0.9 square metres |
| Owner | Imamiya Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior can be seen freely from the grounds (no charge); interior not open |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Imamiya Shrine Hachimansha
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012198
- 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
