An early Meiji shrine beside the Kyooden
The Myokyoji Suehiro Tennosha Shrine (妙教寺末廣天王社, Myōkyō-ji Suehiro Tennōsha) is a one-bay shrine of 1879 facing east on the west side of the Kyooden in the Reioden, the former main sanctuary of 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.
Suehiro, "spreading wide towards the end", is a word for growing prosperity. Of Myokyoji's 33 registered buildings, only the bell tower of 1862 and the Hideyoshi Tennosha of 1870 are older than the Myokyoji Suehiro Tennosha Shrine. An Okayama City article names its carpenter as Akiyama Tetsugoro; his work came seven years before the Nagoya carpenter Aoyama Choshichi built the Reioden's worship hall and front hall.
Board infill and a projecting gable
It is a small one-bay shrine with a nagare-style roof of cypress bark and a building area of 0.65 square metres, its sills set on a cut-stone plinth.
Round columns are tied by tie beams at three levels and a thin plate. The bracket sets step out once from the columns, and the space above them is closed with board panels. The gable, too, projects one step outward.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the carving as limited and the design as sober. Taisho-era shrines would pile brackets and carving ever higher; the Myokyoji Suehiro Tennosha Shrine keeps the quieter manner of the early Meiji years.
What to look for, and visiting
The Myokyoji Suehiro Tennosha Shrine stands west of the Kyooden, facing east towards it, with the Hideyoshi Tennosha just to the south. It can be seen at any time, free of charge; the interior is not open.
From the side, look at the board panels above the brackets and the gable stepping out over them. Seen together with its southern neighbour, it gives you two early Meiji shrines to compare. Opening hours and directions are on the Saijo Inari Myokyoji page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Myokyoji Suehiro Tennosha Shrine
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Q&A
- Where is the Myokyoji Suehiro Tennosha Shrine?
- On the west side of the Kyooden in the former main sanctuary, facing east.
- When was the Myokyoji Suehiro Tennosha Shrine built?
- In 1879. It was moved in 1979.
- What is the Suehiro Tennosha Shrine like?
- A small one-bay shrine with board-infilled brackets and a projecting gable, sober and sparingly carved.
- Who built the Myokyoji Suehiro Tennosha Shrine?
- Akiyama Tetsugoro, according to an Okayama City article.
- How big is the Myokyoji Suehiro Tennosha Shrine?
- Its building area is 0.65 square metres.
Basic Information
| Name | Myokyoji Suehiro Tennosha Shrine (妙教寺末廣天王社) |
|---|---|
| Location | 712 Takamatsu Inari, Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 33-0192 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/01/08 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, one-bay nagare-style cypress-bark roof; building area 0.65 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 Suehiro Tennosha Shrine
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007575
- 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
