At Menuma Shodenzan: Tenmansha Shrine
The Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine (歓喜院天満社) is a small shrine of 1785 at Menuma Shodenzan Kangiin Temple in Menuma, Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 May 2017.
The Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine stands at the southern end of the three shrines behind the Shodendo. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a single-storey timber structure, copper roof, building area 3.8 square meters.
It is a one-bay Nagare-zukuri shrine of unpainted wood with a copper roof, with a low deck and platform beneath the front eave, 5 wooden steps up to the platform, and a railing carried on shaped board brackets. It was restored in 2011.
Why It Was Registered
The Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine carries registration number 11-0165 and was registered on the same day as the other eight structures in the precinct, under the criterion of serving as a model of design.
It was registered under the criterion of serving as a model of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that its beams and carving are almost the same as those of the Sanbo Kojin Shrine, which helps show how the precinct took shape.
What to Look For
Five Wooden Steps
A flight of 5 wooden steps leads up to the platform, giving the tiny shrine a proper front approach.
A Pair With the Sanbo Kojin Shrine
Its beam profiles and carving closely match the Sanbo Kojin Shrine at the north end. The Tenmansha dates from 1785 and the Sanbo Kojin Shrine from 1787, two shrines two years apart that can be compared directly.
Visiting
The Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine stands behind the Shodendo. Follow on-site signs about which areas are part of the paid Shodendo viewing and do not enter restricted spaces. The precinct itself is always open and free.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Saitama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine
- [ Kawagoe Little Edo & Moominvalley Park ]
Q&A
- Can you visit the Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine?
- The Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine stands behind the Shodendo. Follow on-site signs about which areas are part of the paid Shodendo viewing and do not enter restricted spaces. The precinct itself is always open and free.
- When was the Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine built and registered?
- A small shrine of 1785, registered on 2 May 2017 as number 11-0165.
- How is the Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine built?
- Single-storey timber structure, copper roof, building area 3.8 square meters.
- Where is the Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine?
- At the southern end of the three shrines behind the Shodendo.
- What are the features of the Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine?
- A one-bay nagare-zukuri shrine of unpainted wood with 5 steps to its platform, almost identical to the Sanbo Kojin Shrine.
Basic Information
| Name | Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine (歓喜院天満社) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1511 Menuma, Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/5/2 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber structure, copper roof, building area 3.8 square meters |
| Owner | Kangiin (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Precinct always open and free (exterior viewing) |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011454
- Cultural Heritage Online, Kangiin Tenmansha Shrine (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/294160
- Tourism Resources of Kumagaya (Saitama Prefecture)
- https://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/soshiki/b0110/hokubutiikinogaiyou/gunmadc-kankousozai-kumagaya.html
Last verified: 2026.10.01
