The Otani Family Residence Shrine
The Otani Family Residence Shrine (大谷家住宅祠, Ōtani-ke Jūtaku Hokora) is a miniature shrine in a courtyard garden of the Otani Family Residence in Inaricho, Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture, built in 1931 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2004.
It stands on the west side of the estate, in a small garden enclosed by the Main House and the Main Storehouse. A base of rough fieldstone carries two stacked granite blocks shaped like a pedestal, and the shrine sits on top. With a building area of 0.37 square metres, it is the smallest of the nine registered properties.
Why the Shrine Was Registered
The shrine measures one bay on each side and has an irimoya (hip-and-gable) roof entered from the gable end. The roof is sheet copper laid over battens, and the eaves use closely spaced rafters in a single tier.
Its bracketing is a proper Mitsudo-gumi set, with a Kaerumata on the front and carved beam-ends at the sides. The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered the Otani Family Residence Shrine for bringing full-scale shrine carpentry to something this small, under the criterion of buildings that set a standard for design.
What to Look For
The appeal here is scale. Parts that normally decorate a full-size shrine hall, the frog-leg strut and carved beam-ends, have been cut down to miniature proportions, and that takes a steady hand from both carpenter and carver.
It sits in one of the least visible corners of the estate, which says something about the relief-work project behind the house: the craftsmen's care reached well beyond the showpiece gate and villa.
No published source we found identifies the deity enshrined here.
Visiting the Shrine
The Otani Family Residence Shrine stands in a courtyard enclosed by the Main House and Main Storehouse and cannot be seen from the street. The grounds are a private home and closed, so there is currently no way to see it in person.
Visitors can view the Middle Gate and the Western-Style House from the old Nakasendo.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Saitama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Otani Family Residence Shrine
- [ Kawagoe Little Edo & Moominvalley Park ]
Q&A
- Where is the Otani Family Residence Shrine?
- In a small courtyard garden on the west side of the estate, enclosed by the Main House and Main Storehouse. It is not visible from the street.
- How big is the Otani Family Residence Shrine?
- Its building area is just 0.37 square metres, making it the smallest of the nine registered properties. It is one bay square with a hip-and-gable roof.
- Can you visit the Otani Family Residence Shrine?
- No. The estate is a private home and is closed to the public.
- What makes the Otani Family Residence Shrine special?
- Full-scale shrine carpentry in miniature: a three-bearing bracket set, a frog-leg strut on the front and carved beam-ends.
- When was the Otani Family Residence Shrine registered?
- On February 17, 2004, together with the Main House and seven other buildings and structures on the estate.
Basic Information
| Name | Otani Family Residence Shrine |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-3-39 Inaricho, Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/2/17 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, single storey, copper roof, building area 0.37 square metres |
| Owner | Otani Shoji Limited Partnership |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (in an inner courtyard, not visible from the street) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Otani Family Residence Shrine
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003838
Last verified: 2026.09.25
