Eight shrines under one roof
The Imamiya Shrine Hassha (今宮神社八社, Imamiya Jinja Hassha) is a shrine building of about 1694 at the north end of the row of small shrines north of Wakamiyasha at Imamiya Shrine in Murasakino, Kita Ward, Kyoto City, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/03/27. It is eight bays wide, and each bay enshrines one deity, Hachiman among them.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Imamiya Shrine Hassha is said to have been built during the Genroku revival by gathering auxiliary shrines scattered across the grounds into one. The building itself records how Keishoin's rebuilding tidied up the precinct.
A long nagare misedana-zukuri
It is an eight-bay nagare misedana-zukuri shrine with a pantile roof and a building area of 9.5 square metres. Misedana-zukuri, literally "shop-shelf style", sets a shrine on a low shelf-like platform rather than a raised floor, a simple form common for small auxiliary shrines. Here the form is stretched eight bays long.
The posts of the sanctum are round, those of the front canopy square with boat-shaped brackets, and rainbow-shaped beams tie canopy to sanctum. Every other canopy post is omitted so that the long front is not crowded with posts.
A row of eight shrines under one roof stands out among the small shrines. With Hachimansha, Taishogunsha and Hiyoshisha running south from it, it forms the group north of Wakamiyasha.
What to look for, and visiting
The Imamiya Shrine Hassha faces the path on the west side of the grounds and cannot be entered. You can pray to each deity in front of its bay.
The omitted canopy posts show best from a little way back, taking in the whole front. Directions are on the Imamiya Shrine page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kyoto
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Imamiya Shrine Hassha
- [ Kinkakuji Fushimi Inari & Kimono Rental ]
Q&A
- When was the Imamiya Shrine Hassha built?
- Around 1694.
- What is enshrined in the Imamiya Shrine Hassha?
- Eight deities, one in each bay, including Hachiman.
- Why are eight shrines combined in the Imamiya Shrine Hassha?
- It is said to have been built in the Genroku revival by gathering the shrine's scattered auxiliary shrines into one.
- What type of building is the Imamiya Shrine Hassha?
- An eight-bay nagare misedana-zukuri shrine with a pantile roof; every other canopy post is omitted.
- Where is the Imamiya Shrine Hassha?
- At the north end of the row of small shrines north of Wakamiyasha.
Basic Information
| Name | Imamiya Shrine Hassha (今宮神社八社) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21 Imamiyacho, Murasakino, Kita-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 26-545 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/03/27 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, eight-bay nagare misedana-zukuri shrine with tiled roof; building area 9.5 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 Hassha
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012197
- 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
