A small shrine for two gods
The Myokyoji Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine (妙教寺信受・照両天王社, Myōkyō-ji Nobu Aki Ryō Tennōsha) is a one-bay shrine of 1931 facing east on the west side of the Reioden's inner sanctuary 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 reading given in the national database suggests a shrine to two Tenno, Nobu and Aki.
An Okayama City article names the carpenter as Tajima Kunitaro. The Myokyoji Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine is one of only a few registered subsidiary shrines from the Showa era, evidence that building here continued well after the Taisho boom.
A small body, a big porch
The shrine stands on a cut-stone plinth and has a hip-and-gable roof of cypress bark with a small dormer gable. At 0.62 square metres it is one of the smallest of the registered shrines. Projecting bracket sets are packed between the posts, and the rafters are doubled and closely spaced.
The one-bay porch at the front carries a large curving karahafu eave. The porch beam is carved as a dragon, and the pendant hanging from the peak of the gable is carved as a phoenix.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs remarks, with some candour, that the porch decoration feels rather oversized for the building. That is the point of the Myokyoji Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine: a porch out of proportion to its body makes it hold its own in a crowded row.
What to look for, and visiting
The Myokyoji Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine stands west of the Reioden's inner sanctuary, facing east, with the Hayamisaki Tennosha just to the south. It can be seen at any time, free of charge; the interior is not open.
Stand in front and look up at the phoenix at the gable's peak and the dragon along the beam beneath it. Then step to the side and compare porch and body to see what the agency meant. Opening hours and directions are on the Saijo Inari Myokyoji page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Myokyoji Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine
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Q&A
- How is the Myokyoji Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine's name read?
- Nobu Aki Ryo Tennosha, the shrine of the two Tenno, Nobu and Aki, according to the national database's reading.
- Where is the Myokyoji Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine?
- West of the Reioden's inner sanctuary, facing east, with the Hayamisaki Tennosha to the south.
- When was the Myokyoji Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine built?
- In 1931. It was moved in 1979.
- What should I look at on the Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine?
- The large curving porch gable, with a dragon on the porch beam and a phoenix pendant at the peak.
- How big is the Myokyoji Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine?
- Very small, with a building area of 0.62 square metres.
Basic Information
| Name | Myokyoji Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine (妙教寺信受・照両天王社) |
|---|---|
| Location | 712 Takamatsu Inari, Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 33-0188 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/01/08 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, hip-and-gable cypress-bark roof with dormer gable; building area 0.62 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 Nobu and Aki Tennosha Shrine
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007571
- 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
