The heart of the Otabisho
The Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall (今宮神社御旅所神輿奉安殿, Imamiya Jinja Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden) is a building of 1945 standing in front of the Gondensha at the Imamiya Shrine Otabisho in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/03/27. During the Imamiya Festival it holds the mikoshi, the portable shrines carried over from the main shrine.
Kyoto City records that the Gondensha and Noh stage were rebuilt in 1795 and the Shinyo Hoanden in 1945. The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it a large hall at the core of the Otabisho. With a building area of 90 square metres, the Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall is the biggest of the four registered buildings on the site.
High openings and a trussed roof
The hall measures 10.5 metres by 8.6 metres under a hip-and-gable roof in metal sheet. Each side is divided into three bays, open below the plastered frieze.
The central bays front and back are wider than the rest, and their head beams are set high so that the mikoshi can be carried in and out on shoulders. Inside is a coffered ceiling.
Above it, the roof is framed with trusses. The exterior keeps the traditional form of a shrine hall, but the structure carrying the big roof uses modern Western framing, a combination typical of the period.
What to look for, and visiting
During the Imamiya Festival the mikoshi stand in the Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall and can be venerated through its tall front opening. The width of the central bay and the height of its head beam make sense when you watch a mikoshi pass through.
The Otabisho receives the deities during the Imamiya Festival, when the mikoshi are installed and worshippers come to pay their respects. We found no official notice on access at other times, so outside the festival check with Imamiya Shrine (075-491-0082) before going. Directions are on the Imamiya Shrine page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall
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Q&A
- When was the Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall built?
- In 1945.
- What is the Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall used for?
- It holds the portable shrines brought from the main shrine during the Imamiya Festival.
- How big is the Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall?
- 10.5 metres by 8.6 metres, with a building area of 90 square metres, the largest registered building at the Otabisho.
- What is special about the structure of the Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall?
- Widened central bays with high head beams for the mikoshi, and a trussed roof frame.
- Can I visit the Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall?
- During the Imamiya Festival you can see the mikoshi there. For other times, check with Imamiya Shrine.
Basic Information
| Name | Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall (今宮神社御旅所神輿奉安殿) |
|---|---|
| Location | 136 Wakamiya-yokocho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 26-559 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/03/27 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, hip-and-gable metal-sheet roof; 10.5 metres by 8.6 metres; building area 90 square metres |
| Owner | Imamiya Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Open to worshippers during the Imamiya Festival; check with Imamiya Shrine for access at other times; interior not open |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Imamiya Shrine Otabisho Shinyo Hoanden Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012211
- 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 — Imamiya Shrine Otabisho (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/tokei/cmsfiles/contents/0000305/305675/a24otabisho.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.01
