The southern hall before the arched bridge
Sumiyoshi Taisha South Ema Hall (住吉大社南絵馬殿, Minami Emaden) is a votive-tablet pavilion built in 1929 on the south side of the main approach of Sumiyoshi Taisha in Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka, just before the arched bridge over the shrine pond, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10. It is an open-sided single-storey timber pavilion with a gabled tiled roof and a floor area of 46 square metres.
Enter by the West Great Torii and it stands on your right just before the bridge, facing the identical North Ema Hall across the approach.
Modern building, traditional dress
It is three bays long and one deep, with an east-west ridge and no walls: the sides are left open between the posts. The official description points to its thick, broadly chamfered square posts and a mortar floor finished to look like cut stone paving, a deliberately traditional treatment.
Scoring a mortar floor to resemble stone slabs was a way of dressing a modern material in an old appearance. The Sumiyoshi Taisha South Ema Hall used new materials but was designed to blend into grounds full of older shrine buildings; look down and you can see the joints cut into the surface to imitate stone.
The Agency says that together with the North Ema Hall it harmonises with the arched bridge to form the scene that symbolises the shrine. Landscaping works were under way at the time and were completed in 1931, and the symmetrical pair of halls on either side of the bridge was probably part of that programme.
What to look for, and visiting
Because the Sumiyoshi Taisha South Ema Hall is open-sided, you can see the posts and beams, the floor finish and the offerings from the approach. The chamfers on the posts are wide; up close the corners are clearly cut back. Climb the arched bridge and look back to see the two halls framing the West Great Torii.
It can be seen freely during opening hours, at no charge. Opening hours and directions are on the Sumiyoshi Taisha page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Sumiyoshi Taisha South Ema Hall?
- On the south (right) side of the main approach just before the arched bridge, facing the North Ema Hall.
- What is distinctive about the South Ema Hall?
- It is open-sided, with thick chamfered posts and a mortar floor finished to look like cut-stone paving, a deliberately traditional design.
- When was the Sumiyoshi Taisha South Ema Hall built?
- In 1929. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10.
- How big is the South Ema Hall?
- It is three bays by one, with a floor area of 46 square metres, the same as the North Ema Hall.
- Can I visit the Sumiyoshi Taisha South Ema Hall?
- Yes. It is open-sided and visible from the approach during opening hours, free of charge.
Basic Information
| Name | Sumiyoshi Taisha South Ema Hall (住吉大社南絵馬殿) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-9-89 Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 27-730 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/05/10 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey open-sided timber pavilion, 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 South Ema Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012404
- 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
