A Medieval Shrine Hall Inside Its Shelter
The Tashima Shrine Main Hall (田嶋神社本殿, Tashima-jinja honden) is a Nagare-zukuri shrine sanctuary of the early Muromachi period (14th century) at Tashima Shrine in Hatatsu, Hatatsu-machi, Imari City, Saga Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on June 3, 1987 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a three-bay sanctuary in the nagare style with a misedana front, roofed in wood shingles, designation number 02191, owned by Tashima Shrine. Imari City dates it to the 15th century and calls it the oldest shrine building in Saga Prefecture.
Tashima Shrine at Hatatsu
According to Imari City, Tashima Shrine stands in the Hatatsu district of Hatatsu-machi and enshrines 9 deities, chief among them the three Munakata goddesses: Tagitsuhime, Ichikishimahime and Tagorihime.
The sanctuary is now housed inside a protective shelter building, an ooiya (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Imari City).
Why It Was Designated
The Tashima Shrine Main Hall was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1987. The Agency for Cultural Affairs highlights the way the head-tie beam in the central bay of the front is bent upward, a regional trait, and notes that the framing is well preserved; it values the hall as one of the few medieval shrine buildings left in Kyushu.
Imari City adds that, though plainer than shrine buildings of the Edo period, it was originally painted vermilion.
What to Look For
According to Imari City, the hall is 3 bays by 3 bays, measuring 2.88 metres by 2.95 metres. All the posts of the core rest on natural stones and are tied with ground, waist and lintel-level Nageshi and head-tie beams. Simple three-bracket sets sit on the post heads, and at the corners the bracket arms are not shaped on the front and back faces but simply cut off almost vertically at the Kibana ends. The gables are framed with an inverted-V strut.
The three front bays have plank doors; inside are a board floor, a battened ceiling and a high shelf at the back. The misedana platform in front stands on chamfered square posts on natural stones, topped with Demitsudo bracket sets and tied to the core by short tie beams. Everything above the rafters and purlin of the front canopy is later repair (Imari City).
The detail to look for is the one the Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out: the slight upward curve of the head-tie beam across the central front bay, visible through the lattice of the shelter.
Visiting
According to Imari City, the Tashima Shrine Main Hall sits inside its shelter, and as a rule it can be seen only through the shelter's lattice. No information on fees or photography has been published.
The address is 1260 Hatatsu, Hatatsu-machi, Imari City, about 35 minutes by car from Imari Station (Imari City). Enquiries go to the Imari City Board of Education, Lifelong Learning Division (0955-22-1262).
Q&A
- When was the Tashima Shrine Main Hall built?
- In the early Muromachi period (14th century) according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs; Imari City dates it to the 15th century.
- What kind of building is the Tashima Shrine Main Hall?
- A three-bay nagare-style sanctuary with a misedana front and wood-shingle roof; the bent head-tie beam at the front is a regional trait (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can I see inside the Tashima Shrine Main Hall?
- It stands inside a protective shelter and can normally be seen only through its lattice (Imari City).
- How do I get to the Tashima Shrine Main Hall?
- It is at 1260 Hatatsu, Hatatsu-machi, about 35 minutes by car from Imari Station (Imari City).
- When was the Tashima Shrine Main Hall designated?
- On June 3, 1987.
Basic Information
| Name | Tashima Shrine Main Hall (田嶋神社本殿) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1260 Hatatsu, Hatatsu-machi, Imari City, Saga Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1987/06/03 (Showa 62) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Three-bay nagare style with misedana front, wood-shingle roof (2.88 metres by 2.95 metres) |
| Owner | Tashima Shrine |
| Public Access | Viewable through the lattice of its protective shelter |
References
- Tashima Shrine Main Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/3511
- Tashima Shrine Main Hall (Imari City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.imari.saga.jp/2973.htm
Last verified: 2026.10.14