Kumata Shrine Main Hall (First Hall)

A Hall from Kasuga Taisha

The Kumata Shrine Main Hall (First Hall) (杭全神社本殿(第一殿)) is the first of three main halls of Kumata Shrine, originally the third main hall of Kasuga Taisha, moved here of 1690 in Hiranomiyamachi 2-chome, Hirano Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on January 28, 1977 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Agency records a one-bay kasuga-style hall with a cypress-bark roof; designation number 02018.

A Former Hall of Kasuga Taisha

The first hall of Kumata Shrine in Hiranomiyamachi, Hirano Ward, Osaka, is the leftmost of three main halls standing side by side (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Built in 1690, it is a one-bay kasuga-style hall with a cypress-bark roof.

It is the third main hall of Kasuga Taisha in Nara, taken down at a periodic rebuilding and moved here; it has hardly been altered and keeps its original form well (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The second and third halls date from 1513 and are also Important Cultural Properties.

According to OSAKA-INFO EXPERIENCE, the shrine is said to have begun in 862 when Sakanoue no Masamichi enshrined Susanoo, and the deities of the third and second halls were added later as Kumano worship spread.

Why It Is an Important Cultural Property

The Agency values it as one of the oldest surviving former halls of Kasuga Taisha whose history is clear.

What to Look For

At the first hall, look for the kasuga-style hall from Kasuga Taisha and the three main halls standing side by side (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

Visiting

The hall is owned by Kumata Shrine (Agency for Cultural Affairs). According to OSAKA-INFO EXPERIENCE, the shrine is open 8:00–17:00 and is 5 minutes on foot from JR Hirano Station on the Yamatoji line.