A Japanese-Western Museum of Agriculture
The Jingu Nogyokan (Agricultural Museum) (神宮農業館) is a single-storey timber museum of 1905 on Kurata Hill in Kandakushimotocho, Ise City, Mie Prefecture, which in 1998 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a tiled roof and a building area of 439 square metres, owned by the Jingu religious corporation and registered as a model of design.
The Agency explains that it was built to promote agriculture, to a design by Katayama Tokuma.
Structure
According to the Agency, it was originally square around a courtyard, but a recent move reduced it to the front half: a central lookout under a pyramidal roof, with wings to either side linked by corridors.
The exterior is Japanese in style, while the interior framing is Western.
What to Look For
The Agency sees fine skill in combining a Japanese exterior with Western framing. The Jingu museums say it was designed in a Japanese-Western style inspired by the Phoenix Hall of the Byodoin.
The museums add that the Nogyokan was first built in front of the Outer Shrine in 1891, where Tanaka Yoshio, called the father of Japanese museums, displayed materials on agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Visiting the Jingu Nogyokan (Agricultural Museum)
The Jingu museums are open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed on Thursdays.
The story of the Shinenkai museums and visitor information are on the Jingu Chokokan and Nogyokan group page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Mie
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Jingu Nogyokan (Agricultural Museum)
- [ Ise Grand Shrine & Shima Bay Cruise Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Nogyokan built?
- In 1905, when it was moved to Kurata Hill and enlarged.
- Who designed it?
- Katayama Tokuma.
- What is distinctive about it?
- A Japanese exterior with Western interior framing.
- Has it been moved?
- Yes; a recent move reduced it to its front half.
- What did it display?
- Materials on agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Basic Information
| Name | Jingu Nogyokan (Agricultural Museum) (神宮農業館) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1754-1 Kandakushimotocho, Ise City, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/10/9 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, tiled roof, building area 439 square metres |
| Owner | Jingu (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Open as a museum |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Jingu Nogyokan (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00000831
- Cultural Heritage Online: Jingu Nogyokan (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/138101
- Jingu Museums: History (Japanese)
- https://museum.isejingu.or.jp/museum/history.html
Last verified: 2026.09.28
