Beside the main approach, before the arched bridge
Sumiyoshi Taisha North Ema Hall (住吉大社北絵馬殿, Kita Emaden) is a votive-tablet pavilion built in 1929 on the north side of the main approach of Sumiyoshi Taisha in Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka, just short of the arched bridge over the shrine pond, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10. It is a single-storey timber building with a gabled roof of clay tiles and a floor area of 46 square metres.
Come in through the West Great Torii and, just before the bridge, two identical buildings face each other across the approach: the North Ema Hall on your left and the South Ema Hall on your right. An emaden is a pavilion for displaying large painted votive plaques (ema) offered to a shrine, a fixture of many older shrines.
Two halls working as one
The hall is three bays long and one bay deep, with its ridge running east to west. The official description says it is identical in size and form to the South Ema Hall and that the two are used in the same way, functioning together as a single pair. The description of the southern hall lists an open-sided design, thick chamfered square posts and a mortar floor finished to look like cut stone paving, all deliberately traditional, and the Sumiyoshi Taisha North Ema Hall is built the same way.
The Agency says the two halls, together with the arched bridge, form the scene that has come to stand for Sumiyoshi Taisha. They went up while landscaping works were under way in the grounds, a programme completed in 1931, and placing identical buildings symmetrically on either side of the bridge fits that effort to compose the shrine's front.
They are timber buildings with heavy tiled roofs on thick posts, not concrete. Built in the modern era, they chose traditional construction and detailing to match the older shrine buildings, which is why they sit so comfortably in the scene.
What to look for, and visiting
Being open-sided, the Sumiyoshi Taisha North Ema Hall lets you see the roof framing and the offerings hung inside from the approach. Stand on the arched bridge and look back: the two halls frame the West Great Torii in a symmetrical view.
It can be seen freely during opening hours, with no charge. If you photograph the offerings, keep out of other worshippers' way. Opening hours and directions are on the Sumiyoshi Taisha page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Sumiyoshi Taisha North Ema Hall?
- On the north (left) side of the main approach, just before the arched bridge, facing the South Ema Hall.
- When was the North Ema Hall built?
- In 1929. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10.
- What is an ema hall?
- A pavilion for displaying large painted votive plaques offered to the shrine. The Sumiyoshi Taisha North Ema Hall works as a pair with the South Ema Hall.
- Are the North and South Ema Halls different?
- They are separate buildings, but officially identical in size and form and used in the same way.
- Can I see inside the Sumiyoshi Taisha North Ema Hall?
- Yes. It is open-sided, so the framing and offerings are visible from the approach. There is no charge.
Basic Information
| Name | Sumiyoshi Taisha North Ema Hall (住吉大社北絵馬殿) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-9-89 Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 27-731 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/05/10 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, gabled tiled roof; floor area 46 square metres |
| Owner | Sumiyoshi Taisha (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Open-sided; visible during shrine hours; no charge |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Sumiyoshi Taisha North Ema Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012405
- Osaka Prefecture — Designation report on Sumiyoshi Taisha, with a list of its protected buildings (Japanese)
- https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/documents/26540/01_sumiyoshitaisya_sitei.pdf
- Sumiyoshi Taisha official site — Highlights
- https://www.sumiyoshitaisha.net/grounds/highlights.html
Last verified: 2026.10.01
