The smallest building on the mountain
At roughly 2.9 square metres, the Amulet Office (Juyosho) of Tarobogu Aga Shrine is the most compact of the shrine's registered structures, barely larger than the counter it houses. Built in the middle Meiji years, between about 1883 and 1897, it is a single-story timber kiosk with a copper-shingled roof, placed where pilgrims pass on the upper slope of Mount Akagami.
Small building, central purpose
A juyosho is where visitors receive amulets, talismans, and votive items, and at Tarobogu those overwhelmingly concern shobu-un, the fortune of victory. Because the enshrined kami Ame-no-Oshihomimi is honoured as a deity of winning, athletes, business owners, and students carry away tokens aimed at a decisive result. Despite its size, this little office was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2019 for contributing to the historic landscape.
Worth a second glance
It would be easy to walk straight past a building this small, yet its survival across more than a century, roofed in the same copper as its grander neighbours, is part of what makes the precinct feel whole. The scale tells its own story about a mountain shrine where every usable ledge was put to purpose. Stopping here, amulet in hand, is often the tangible souvenir of a climb made for luck.
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Q&A
- What is the Amulet Office for?
- It is where visitors receive amulets and talismans. At Tarobogu these mainly concern shobu-un, the fortune of victory.
- How small is it?
- About 2.9 square metres, making it the most compact of the shrine's registered buildings.
- When was it built?
- In the middle Meiji period, roughly 1883 to 1897. It was registered as a Cultural Property in 2019.
- Why do people seek victory amulets here?
- The enshrined kami, Ame-no-Oshihomimi, is revered as a deity of victory, so many visitors pray and receive tokens for success in contests.
Basic Information
| Name | 授与所 (Amulet Office (Juyosho)) |
|---|---|
| Location | Higashiomi, Shiga Prefecture (滋賀県東近江市小脇町2247) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property; registered 10 September 2019 (Reiwa 1); registration no. 25-427 |
| Registration criterion | Contributing to the historic landscape |
| Date | 明治中期（1883〜1897年頃） |
| Structure | tiny single-story timber kiosk, copper-shingled roof, ~2.9 sq m |
| Owner | Aga Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Access / viewing | Part of the Tarobogu Aga Shrine precinct on Mount Akagami; grounds open to visitors. 742 stone steps from the base; a mid-slope car park shortens the climb. |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database — Amulet Office
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012944
- Tarobogu Aga Shrine — official website
- https://tarobo.sakura.ne.jp/
- Shiga Tourism Official Site — Tarobogu (Aga Shrine)
- https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/1258/
Last verified: 2026.07.05