A Stone Shrine and Torii in the Garden's Southwest Corner
Umegayatsu Inari Shrine (梅ヶ谷津稲荷社, Umegayatsu Inari-sha) is a stone Inari shrine dated 1833 in the southwest part of the Umegayatsu Kairakuen estate in Akenokawachicho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture, and it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on December 26, 2005. It consists of a small stone Hokora sanctuary 1.0 meter high and a stone myōjin-style torii gate 1.3 meters wide and 2.2 meters high.
Both the sanctuary and the gate are inscribed with their date. The other three registered elements at Umegayatsu Kairakuen, the main house, the stone fence and steps and the stone wall, date from 1839, so the Umegayatsu Inari Shrine is six years older and the earliest dated structure on the estate.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs places it in the southwest of the site; Nagasaki Prefecture puts it on the west side of the garden. Either way it stands in the western part of the grounds, below the main house and beyond the stone wall.
Station Four of the Hirado Island Pilgrimage
According to the Agency, the Umegayatsu Inari Shrine is known as the fourth station of the eighty-eight sacred sites of Hirado Island, a circuit established by the domain lord Matsura Hiromu. Though it stands in a private garden, it has been part of a pilgrimage route around the island.
There is something striking in that arrangement: the lord who set the island's pilgrimage stations placed one of them inside his own retreat. In this one small shrine, a private garden and the route walked by local worshippers meet.
A Swept-Up Roof and a Myōjin Torii
Look closely at the sanctuary's roof. The Agency notes that its curve is exaggerated. Even on a stone shrine only about a meter high, deeply upswept eaves give the stone some of the lightness of a timber shrine roof.
The torii is of the myōjin type, the form most often seen at Inari and other Shinto shrines: a top beam whose ends sweep upward, a second beam beneath it, and a tie beam passing between the posts. At 1.3 meters wide and 2.2 meters high, the torii of the Umegayatsu Inari Shrine is about human height, scaled to match the small sanctuary.
Nagasaki Prefecture praises the design as refined down to the details, inscriptions included. If you are able to get close, look for the dates carved into both pieces.
Visiting the Umegayatsu Inari Shrine
The Umegayatsu Inari Shrine stands outdoors and is seen from within the grounds when the estate is open. It remains a place of worship on the pilgrimage circuit, so be quiet, give way to anyone praying, and do not touch the sanctuary or torii. The estate is privately owned; follow directions on where you may walk.
Opening hours and directions are on the Umegayatsu Kairakuen page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Nagasaki
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Umegayatsu Inari Shrine
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Q&A
- When was the Umegayatsu Inari Shrine made?
- In 1833; the date is carved into both the sanctuary and the torii. It became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005.
- What does the Umegayatsu Inari Shrine consist of?
- A stone sanctuary 1.0 meter high and a stone myōjin-style torii 1.3 meters wide and 2.2 meters high.
- Is the Umegayatsu Inari Shrine a pilgrimage stop?
- Yes. It is known as station four of the eighty-eight sacred sites of Hirado Island, established by lord Matsura Hiromu.
- Where is the Umegayatsu Inari Shrine within Umegayatsu Kairakuen?
- In the southwest of the estate; Nagasaki Prefecture describes it as on the west side of the garden.
- Can I visit the Umegayatsu Inari Shrine?
- Yes, from within the grounds when the estate is open. It is a place of worship on private land, so be quiet and follow the staff's directions.
Basic Information
| Name | Umegayatsu Inari Shrine |
|---|---|
| Location | 348 Akenokawachicho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered December 26, 2005 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 (listed as one building unit in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Dimensions | Sanctuary 1.0 meter high; myōjin torii 1.3 meters wide and 2.2 meters high |
| Owner | Private owner (per Nagasaki Prefecture's cultural property database) |
| Public Access | Viewable within the grounds when the estate is open (call ahead) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Umegayatsu Inari Shrine
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00005210
- Nagasaki Prefecture Cultural Properties: Umegayatsu Kairakuen (Japanese)
- https://www.pref.nagasaki.jp/bunkadb/index.php/view/392
Last verified: 2026.09.19
