A Tiny Office Set into the Rock
The Tarobogu Aga Shrine Amulet Office (太郎坊宮阿賀神社授与所) is an amulet office set into the rock face of the mid-Meiji period (1883 to 1897) in Owakicho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on September 10, 2019 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey timber building with a copper roof and a building area of 2.9 square metres; registration number 25-0427.
Set into a Hollow in the Rock
The Tarobogu Aga Shrine Amulet Office stands north of the foot of the steps before the worship pavilion, facing south (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Its gable end faces front under a hip-and-gable copper roof, and its back is tucked into a hollow in the rock wall.
The front has four glazed windows under a lintel, the entrance is on the west side, and the walls are clapboarded (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes that it is part of the distinctive shrine scene formed halfway up the rock peak, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look at how the small building is tucked into a hollow in the rock (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Aga Shrine (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on visiting hours or access was found. The shrine precinct as a whole is covered on the Tarobogu Aga Shrine group page.
Q&A
- When was the Amulet Office built?
- In the mid-Meiji period, between 1883 and 1897 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where does it stand?
- North of the foot of the steps before the worship pavilion, facing south.
- What is distinctive about it?
- Its back is set into a hollow in the rock wall.
- What is the front like?
- Four glazed windows under a lintel.
- When was the Tarobogu Aga Shrine Amulet Office registered?
- On September 10, 2019 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Tarobogu Aga Shrine Amulet Office (太郎坊宮阿賀神社授与所) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2247 Owakicho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2019/09/10 (Reiwa 1) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, copper roof, 2.9 m² |
| Owner | Aga Shrine |
| Public Access | No official visiting information |
References
- Tarobogu Aga Shrine Amulet Office (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012944
Last verified: 2026.10.19
