Miyagawa Shrine Grove: The Northern Limit of a Warm-Climate Forest
The Miyagawa Shrine Grove (宮川神社社叢, Miyagawa Jinja Shaso) is the forest surrounding Miyagawa Shrine in Miyagawa, Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture, designated a national Natural Monument in 1980.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes about 5.4 hectares of forest on the southwest slope of a hill 100 metres high, about 1 kilometre from the coast. Kashiwazaki City notes that the trees grow so thickly on the steep slope below the hilltop shrine that it is dark even at midday.
The address is 4027 Miyagawa, Kashiwazaki (Miyagawa Shrine).
Why It Was Designated
The forest falls into two parts: evergreen broadleaf woods dominated by Neolitsea sericea in the centre, and deciduous woods of Daimyo oak and Mongolian oak around the edges, with more than 400 native plant species.
Warm-climate plants such as the grasses kidachi-no-nezumigaya and tamamizo-ichigotsunagi grow alongside cold-climate plants such as the wheel lily (Lilium medeoloides) and musharindo, and species found mainly on the Sea of Japan side such as maruba-mansaku witch hazel and tokiwa-ikarisou. The Agency values the site not only for plant distribution but because its almost pure Neolitsea forest marks the northern limit on the Sea of Japan coast and is a valuable warm-temperate broadleaf forest. At designation the Miyagawa Shrine Grove was already protected as a prefectural Natural Monument and well preserved.
What to Look For
Kashiwazaki City says the stands of Neolitsea are especially fine, the largest with a girth of 1.2 metres at eye level. There are also large Machilus thunbergii and camellias, deciduous zelkova, hackberry, maple and oak, and conifers including cedar, pine and fir.
Climbers, herbs and ferns grow thickly, giving the slope the feel of primeval forest unusual so close to the sea. Notice where the dark evergreen core gives way to lighter deciduous woods at the edges; that boundary is the heart of why the grove was designated.
Visiting the Miyagawa Shrine Grove
The Miyagawa Shrine Grove is the shrine's forest and can be seen when visiting the shrine. No official information on fees or hours was found. As a Natural Monument, plants must not be collected, and the grove grows on a steep slope, so keep to the paths.
No official transport directions were found either. Enquiries go to the Kashiwazaki City tourism promotion section on 0257-21-2334.
Q&A
- What is the Miyagawa Shrine Grove?
- The forest around Miyagawa Shrine in Kashiwazaki, Niigata, about 5.4 hectares in area, designated a national Natural Monument in 1980.
- Why is the Miyagawa Shrine Grove important?
- Its almost pure Neolitsea forest is at the northern limit on the Sea of Japan coast, and more than 400 warm- and cold-climate species grow together there.
- What trees grow in the Miyagawa Shrine Grove?
- Neolitsea sericea, Machilus thunbergii, camellia, zelkova, Mongolian oak, Daimyo oak, cedar and fir among others. The largest Neolitsea reach a girth of 1.2 metres.
- Where is the Miyagawa Shrine Grove?
- At Miyagawa Shrine, 4027 Miyagawa, Kashiwazaki, on the southwest slope of a hill about 1 kilometre from the coast.
- Can visitors enter the Miyagawa Shrine Grove?
- It can be seen when visiting the shrine. Collecting plants is prohibited, and visitors should stay off the steep slope.
Basic Information
| Name | Miyagawa Shrine Grove (宮川神社社叢) |
|---|---|
| Location | 4027 Miyagawa, Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture (Miyagawa Shrine) |
| Designation | Natural Monument |
| Year Designated | Designated 1980/3/14 (Showa 55) |
| Quantity | 1 site |
| Dimensions | About 5.4 hectares on the southwest slope of a hill 100 metres high |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Shrine forest. No official hours or fees published |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Miyagawa Shrine Grove (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/882
- Cultural Heritage Online: Miyagawa Shrine Grove (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/138154
- Kashiwazaki City: Miyagawa Shrine Grove (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kashiwazaki.lg.jp/soshikiichiran/sangyoshinkobu/shogyokankoka/kankosinko/shisekijinjabukkaku/jinja/3632.html
- Kashiwazaki Tourism Association: Miyagawa Shrine Grove (Japanese)
- https://www.uwatt.com/detail/778/index.html
Last verified: 2026.09.27