A Timber Kagura Hall beside the Great Stairway
The Orihime Shrine Kagura Hall (織姫神社神楽殿, Orihime Jinja Kaguraden) is a single-storey timber hall for sacred dance built in 1937 at Orihime Shrine in Nishimiyacho, Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture, which in 2004 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a copper roof and a building area of 24 square metres; it was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
The Agency places it west of the great stairway up to the main buildings and names Kobayashi Fukutaro as architect.
Structure
According to the Agency, it runs east-west, 6.2 metres by 3.8 metres, a single-storey timber building with a hip-and-gable copper roof, standing on a low rounded plinth.
The eaves have single, widely spaced rafters, the beams rest on boat-shaped brackets, and a railing with upturned ends runs round it. Ashikaga City adds that the walls are of horizontal boarding.
What to Look For
The Agency counts the kagura hall, with the office, as a key element of the level ground below the main terrace. Beside the stairway, the small hall sets the scene before the climb to the vermilion shrine.
Notice the simple Japanese details: the low plinth, the boat-shaped brackets under the eaves and the railing around the veranda.
Visiting the Kagura Hall
The exterior can be seen from the precinct. No information on access to the interior could be found.
Directions and information on the whole precinct are on the Orihime Shrine group page.
Q&A
- When was the Orihime Shrine Kagura Hall built?
- In 1937.
- How big is the Orihime Shrine Kagura Hall?
- 6.2 metres by 3.8 metres, with a building area of 24 square metres.
- Where is the Orihime Shrine Kagura Hall?
- West of the great stairway up to the main buildings.
- What are the features of the Orihime Shrine Kagura Hall?
- A single-storey hip-and-gable timber hall on a low plinth, with boat-shaped brackets and a railing.
- Who designed the Orihime Shrine Kagura Hall?
- Kobayashi Fukutaro.
Basic Information
| Name | Orihime Shrine Kagura Hall (織姫神社神楽殿) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3889 Nishimiyacho, Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/6/9 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, copper roof, building area 24 square metres |
| Owner | Orihime Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable from the precinct |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Orihime Shrine Kagura Hall (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004123
- Ashikaga City: Orihime Shrine (Japanese)
- https://www.city.ashikaga.tochigi.jp/education/000029/000169/000627/p000939.html
Last verified: 2026.09.28
