About the Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine
The Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine (太田家住宅稲荷社, Ōta-ke Jūtaku Inarisha) is a miniature timber shrine in the rear garden on the northern side of the Ota estate in Tenmyocho, Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture, built around 1881 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2021.
It covers 0.5 m² and has a tiled roof. Six of the Ota Family Residence's seven registered structures carry an Edomachi, Yamatocho address, but the Inarisha Shrine is listed at 2579-3 Gensekicho, Tenmyocho. The database nonetheless describes it as standing on the northern side of the same estate.
A Plain Gable, Entered at the End
The Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine is one bay wide and two bays deep, with a gabled pantile roof. It is Tsumairi, entered from the gable end. Square posts stand on a sill and are tied by Nageshi at two heights.
The brackets are Funahijiki, the simplest kind: a single boat-shaped block on top of each post to carry the eave beam. The Hachimansha Shrine of the same years uses stepped brackets packed between the posts, so the two shrines were built to quite different standards.
Diamond Lattice and a Family Crest in Clay
The walls of the Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine are filled with diamond lattice, and the front has latticed Sankarado panelled doors.
The care went into the roof. The tiles are small, made to suit the scale of the building, and the ends of the ridge carry Onigawara ridge tiles stamped with the family crest. Even the size of the tiles was adjusted for a roof of 0.5 m².
The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it small but finely made, and credits it with shaping the view of the rear garden.
Seeing the Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine
The Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine stands in a private garden, and visitors cannot enter to worship or look closely. Tochigi Prefecture lists the Ota estate as open for exterior viewing only.
Set in the rear garden, the part of the estate furthest from the street, it is unlikely to be visible from the road. The national database has a photograph of its south front showing the lattice walls and the crested ridge tiles. Directions to the estate are on the page for the Ota Family Residence in Sano.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Tochigi
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine
- [ Nikko Toshogu Shrine & Kegon Falls Day Trip ]
Q&A
- When was the Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine built?
- The national database dates it to around 1881. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2021.
- How big is the Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine?
- Its building area is 0.5 m². It is a single-storey timber shrine one bay wide and two bays deep with a tiled roof.
- What does the Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine look like?
- A gabled pantile roof entered from the gable end, simple boat-shaped brackets, diamond-lattice walls and latticed front doors.
- What is special about the roof tiles of the Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine?
- The tiles are small to match the building, and the ridge ends carry onigawara tiles bearing the family crest.
- Can you visit the Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine?
- No. It stands in private grounds, open for exterior viewing only, and its place in the rear garden makes it unlikely to be visible from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Ota Family Residence Inarisha Shrine (太田家住宅稲荷社) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2579-3 Gensekicho, Tenmyocho, Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2021 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 0.5 m² |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Exterior only (privately owned) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 太田家住宅稲荷社
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013683
- Tochigi Prefecture Cultural Properties: 太田家住宅稲荷社
- https://bunkazai.pref.tochigi.lg.jp/cultural/%E3%80%90%E5%A4%AA%E7%94%B0%E5%AE%B6%E4%BD%8F%E5%AE%85%E7%A8%B2%E8%8D%B7%E7%A4%BE%E3%80%91/
Last verified: 2026.09.30
