South of the Hayamisaki shrine
The Myokyoji Onori Tennosha Shrine (妙教寺大乗天王社, Myōkyō-ji Ōnori Tennōsha) is a one-bay shrine of 1917 west of the Reioden's inner sanctuary, just south of the Hayamisaki Tennosha, at Saijo Inari Myokyoji in Takamatsu Inari, Kita Ward, Okayama City; it was moved in 1979 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2009/01/08. It is one of the Seventy-Seven Subsidiary Shrines.
The characters of its name are read daijo in Buddhist vocabulary, meaning the Mahayana, but the national database reads this shrine's name Onori. South of the Myokyoji Onori Tennosha Shrine, facing east, is the stable for the sacred horse statue.
A veranda with no posts
It is a one-bay shrine with a nagare-style roof of cypress bark and a building area of 1.4 square metres. A veranda with railings and onion-shaped finials runs along the front and both sides.
What sets it apart is how that veranda is held up. There are no short posts under the veranda or the front step; instead, two-stepped bracket arms project from the walls and carry the floor. Seen from below, the veranda seems to float.
The body has round columns with three-part brackets, while the porch posts are square with notched corners and brackets that include small saucer-shaped bearing blocks. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs it matches the Yoshimasa Tennosha of the same year in size and form, so the same 1917 design appears once on each side of the Reioden.
What to look for, and visiting
The Myokyoji Onori Tennosha Shrine stands towards the south end of the shrines west of the Reioden's inner sanctuary, between the Hayamisaki shrine and the sacred horse stable. It can be seen at any time, free of charge; the interior is not open.
Go round to the side and crouch to see the veranda carried on brackets alone, with nothing beneath. Up close, look at the notched corners of the porch posts and the small saucer blocks in the brackets. Opening hours and directions are on the Saijo Inari Myokyoji page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama
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Q&A
- How is the Myokyoji Onori Tennosha Shrine's name read?
- Onori, according to the national database, although the characters are often read daijo.
- Where is the Myokyoji Onori Tennosha Shrine?
- West of the Reioden's inner sanctuary, south of the Hayamisaki Tennosha and north of the sacred horse stable.
- What is distinctive about the Onori Tennosha Shrine?
- Its veranda and front step have no supporting posts; they are cantilevered on two-stepped bracket arms.
- When was the Myokyoji Onori Tennosha Shrine built?
- In 1917. It was moved in 1979.
- Is there another shrine like the Myokyoji Onori Tennosha Shrine?
- Yes. The Yoshimasa Tennosha of the same period has the same size and form.
Basic Information
| Name | Myokyoji Onori Tennosha Shrine (妙教寺大乗天王社) |
|---|---|
| Location | 712 Takamatsu Inari, Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 33-0190 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/01/08 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, one-bay nagare-style cypress-bark roof; building area 1.4 square metres |
| Owner | Saijo Inarisan Myokyoji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior can be seen freely in the grounds (no charge); interior closed |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Myokyoji Onori Tennosha Shrine
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007573
- 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 — Seventy-Seven Subsidiary Shrines (Japanese)
- https://inari.ne.jp/facility/250/
- Saijo Inari official site — Former main sanctuary, Reioden (Japanese)
- https://inari.ne.jp/facility/252/
Last verified: 2026.10.01
