A water pavilion west of the main hall
The Myokyoji Omizuya Purification Pavilion (妙教寺御水舎, Myōkyō-ji Omizuya) is a water pavilion of 1954 west of the main hall at Saijo Inari Myokyoji in Takamatsu Inari, Kita Ward, Okayama City, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2009/01/08. Worshippers rinse their hands and mouths here before praying; the temple calls such pavilions omizuya.
The Myokyoji Omizuya Purification Pavilion has been moved twice, in 1979 and again in 2006. An Okayama City article names its carpenter as Miyajima Kojiro of the Asakusaya workshop, a name that also appears on shrines from the Taisho and early Showa eras. Local carpenters, in other words, were still shaping the grounds after the war.
An open frame with post-war carving
The pavilion runs north to south under a gabled pantile roof, 4.8 metres by 2.5 metres, with no walls at all and a stone basin in the middle. Its area is 12 square metres.
The posts are square, each paired with a slimmer side post. On top sit three-part bracket sets, with frog-leg struts in the bays between them and a single layer of widely spaced rafters. The gable is closed by a simple inverted-V truss.
What the Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out is the carving: the incised patterns and the projecting beam ends show modern design, it says. The Myokyoji Omizuya Purification Pavilion keeps the old form of a temple water pavilion while the carver's line belongs to the post-war years, and that is why it was registered as a model of design.
What to look for, and visiting
The Myokyoji Omizuya Purification Pavilion stands west of the main hall and is open at all times, free of charge. It is in daily use, so step aside from people purifying themselves while you look.
Look up at the tops of the posts: the bracket sets, the frog-leg struts and the scrolls and leaves carved on the beam ends show what a post-war carpenter did within a traditional vocabulary. The temple's own guidance is to rinse the left hand, then the right, then pour water into the left palm to rinse your mouth. Opening hours and directions are on the Saijo Inari Myokyoji page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Myokyoji Omizuya Purification Pavilion
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Q&A
- Where is the Myokyoji Omizuya Purification Pavilion?
- West of the main hall (Konpon Daido), running north to south.
- When was the Myokyoji Omizuya Purification Pavilion built?
- In 1954. It was moved in 1979 and again in 2006.
- What should I look for at the water pavilion?
- The bracket sets and frog-leg struts on top of the posts, and the carved patterns and beam ends, which show modern design.
- Can I use the Myokyoji Omizuya Purification Pavilion?
- Yes. It is the pavilion where worshippers purify their hands and mouths, and there is no charge.
- Why was the purification pavilion registered?
- As a model of design that applies modern ornament to the traditional form of a temple water pavilion. It was registered on 2009/01/08.
Basic Information
| Name | Myokyoji Omizuya Purification Pavilion (妙教寺御水舎) |
|---|---|
| Location | 712 Takamatsu Inari, Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 33-0175 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/01/08 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, gabled pantile roof; area 12 square metres |
| Owner | Saijo Inarisan Myokyoji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Open and usable at any time in the grounds (no charge) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Myokyoji Omizuya Purification Pavilion
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007558
- Okayama City — Modern Japanese-style architecture at Saijo Inari Myokyoji, by Yasukawa Mitsuru (Japanese)
- https://www.city.okayama.jp/kankou/cmsfiles/contents/0000005/5279/000179262.pdf
- Saijo Inari official site — Guide to the grounds (Japanese)
- https://inari.ne.jp/guide/
- Saijo Inari official site — Frequently asked questions (Japanese)
- https://inari.ne.jp/qa/
Last verified: 2026.10.01
