A worship pavilion and fence before Jishusha
The Imamiya Shrine Jishusha Worship Pavilion and Openwork Fence (今宮神社地主社拝所・透塀) are a worship pavilion of 1842 and the fence on either side of it, in front of the Jishusha Main Hall at Imamiya Shrine in Murasakino, Kita Ward, Kyoto City, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/03/27. This is where visitors pray to the Jishusha deity.
They were built together with the sanctuary in the same year. The Agency for Cultural Affairs says the Imamiya Shrine Jishusha Worship Pavilion and Openwork Fence create a space of worship unlike any other.
A sacred boundary inside the building
The pavilion is two bays by one, gabled and entered from the gable end, with a building area of 6.0 square metres. The line of posts at its centre forms a sacred boundary, closed by double doors of clustered diamond lattice. Worshippers stand in the front half and pray through the lattice toward the sanctuary.
The fence on either side stands on the same cut-stone base as those central posts, with lattice in each bay and a coping of batten-jointed tiles, 6.0 metres in total. Because the fence continues the line of the boundary, the division between sacred and everyday space runs right through the middle of the building.
What to look for, and visiting
Anyone may walk up to the Imamiya Shrine Jishusha Worship Pavilion and Openwork Fence to pray. From the entrance of the pavilion, look through the lattice doors at the centre to the sanctuary beyond.
From the side, you can see that the boundary posts and the fence form a single straight line. The shrine stands on a rise, so watch your footing. Directions are on the Imamiya Shrine page.
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Q&A
- When were the Imamiya Shrine Jishusha Worship Pavilion and Openwork Fence built?
- In 1842, together with the Jishusha Main Hall.
- What does the Imamiya Shrine Jishusha Worship Pavilion look like?
- A two-by-one-bay gabled pavilion with diamond-lattice double doors along its central line of posts.
- What is unusual about the Imamiya Shrine Jishusha Worship Pavilion and Openwork Fence?
- The sacred boundary runs through the middle of the pavilion and the fence carries that line out to either side.
- Can I pray at the Imamiya Shrine Jishusha Worship Pavilion?
- Yes. You can step up to the pavilion and pray through the lattice toward the sanctuary.
- How big are the Imamiya Shrine Jishusha Worship Pavilion and Openwork Fence?
- The pavilion covers 6.0 square metres and the fence is 6.0 metres long.
Basic Information
| Name | Imamiya Shrine Jishusha Worship Pavilion and Openwork Fence (今宮神社地主社拝所・透塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21 Imamiyacho, Murasakino, Kita-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 26-542 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/03/27 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Worship pavilion: timber, single storey, copper-sheet roof, building area 6.0 square metres. Fence: timber, total length 6.0 metres |
| Owner | Imamiya Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | The front of the pavilion can be approached freely in the grounds (no charge) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Imamiya Shrine Jishusha Worship Pavilion and Openwork Fence
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012194
- 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
