A Small Shrine in the Courtyard
Kajikaen Inari Shrine (河鹿園稲荷社, Kajikaen Inarisha) is a small wooden shrine of around 1955 in the courtyard north of Chinryūtei at Kajikaen, a former restaurant inn in Mitakehonmachi, Ōme City, Tokyo, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 17, 2020.
The Kajikaen Inari Shrine is a one-bay shrine in the Nagare-zukuri style, with a front roof that sweeps forward over the steps. It faces northwest, has a copper-plate roof and covers just 0.36 square meters, less than a quarter of a single tatami mat. It is both the smallest and the most recent of the eight registered buildings at Kajikaen.
Inari, the deity of rice and prosperity, is often enshrined on the grounds of Japanese shops and inns. What makes this one worth a look is that, for all its size, it has every part a full shrine building would have.
A Miniature Built Like the Real Thing
The Kajikaen Inari Shrine was registered as a model of design, number 13-0447, the last in Kajikaen's consecutive run. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a genuine piece of shrine building despite its small size.
Start at the base. A stone-walled platform carries a continuous footing, a sill and then the posts. At the front are a raised wooden floor and a Hama-en step-platform, with posts rising from it to carry the eave. A flight of 5 wooden steps leads up to the sanctuary.
Above the front, a tie beam spans the posts and carries a Kaerumata, a carved frog-leg bracket. The gable ends are finished with a Kōryō curved beam, a Taiheizuka vase-shaped strut and Oigata carved side panels. It is the vocabulary of a full-size main sanctuary, simply reduced in scale.
What to Look For
Stand in front of the Kajikaen Inari Shrine and count the steps: all 5 are there, fitted to a structure you could almost hold in your arms.
Then move to the side to find the vase-shaped strut and carved panels in the gable. Because every member is so small, the carving only shows up close. The shrine faces northwest, so afternoon light on the front makes the detail easier to follow.
Visiting the Inari Shrine
The Kajikaen Inari Shrine stands in the courtyard north of Chinryūtei, and there are no separate visiting arrangements for it. During exhibition periods, when Kajikaen opens as a museum, the courtyard may be visible from the corridor and nearby buildings.
The shrine may still be in active use, so look quietly and do not touch it. Ask at reception about photography.
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Q&A
- When was the Kajikaen Inari Shrine built?
- It is a small wooden shrine from around 1955, the most recent of the eight registered buildings at Kajikaen.
- How big is the Kajikaen Inari Shrine?
- It covers 0.36 square meters under a copper-plate roof, making it the smallest registered building at Kajikaen.
- Why is the Kajikaen Inari Shrine a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on August 17, 2020, as a model of design: a one-bay nagare-zukuri shrine with a full set of parts, including a front platform, 5 wooden steps, a carved frog-leg bracket and a decorated gable.
- Where is the Kajikaen Inari Shrine?
- In the courtyard north of Chinryūtei, within the Kajikaen grounds, facing northwest.
- Can visitors see the Kajikaen Inari Shrine?
- There are no separate visiting arrangements. During exhibition periods (11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays) the courtyard may be visible.
Basic Information
| Name | Kajikaen Inari Shrine (河鹿園稲荷社) |
|---|---|
| Location | 335 Mitakehonmachi, Ome City, Tokyo |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered on August 17, 2020 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, copper-plate roof, area 0.36 square meters |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Open during exhibition periods (11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database of Cultural Properties: Kajikaen Inari Shrine
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013369
- Ome City: Cultural Properties of Ome (Registered Tangible Cultural Properties)
- https://www.city.ome.tokyo.jp/site/provincial-history-museum/3143.html
- Ome Tourism Guide: Ryokan Building Shitsurai Art Museum Kajikaen
- https://www.omekanko.gr.jp/spot/11301/
Last verified: 2026.09.23
