What the Building Is
Kayashima Shrine Treasury (Temporary Sanctuary) is a storehouse of 1900 in Hiezu, Tottori Prefecture, listed as Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 November 2018. Timber, single storey, copper roof, 29 square metres.
It carries two names because it has two jobs. Most of the time it holds the shrine's treasures and ritual equipment. When the sanctuary has to be repaired and the deity moved, it becomes the temporary seat, which is why an altar stands at the back of the interior.
The building stands ahead of the worship hall on the west side of the approach, facing west. It is three bays by two under a gabled roof entered from the gable end, boarded on the sides and rear, with an open-fronted porch under its own gable. The eaves are carried on a single row of widely spaced rafters. The interior is ten mats. Repairs came in 1976 and 2005.
Why It Was Listed
The registration number is 31-0262. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes the sparely finished exterior and places Kayashima Shrine Treasury with the Zuishin Gate and the Kagura Hall as part of a modern frontage for the precinct.
It faces the Kagura Hall across the approach, with the gate just in front of the pair. Three buildings raised together in 1900 set the character of the path. The near absence of ornament here is a decision about where the eye should go, not a saving: the stage opposite and the worship hall beyond it take the attention.
Its second role deserves notice. Keeping a building on site that can receive the deity while the sanctuary is under repair is part of what allows a shrine to be maintained over generations. The 1900 works were planned with both the order of the rites and the upkeep of the buildings in view, and this structure is where that shows.
What to Look For
The front is open. There is no wall under the porch, only posts, so the depth of the building shows through from the path. Against the boarded sides and rear, that opening gives a small structure some reach.
Look up at the eaves and you find a single row of rafters set well apart, the plainest of finishes, nothing like the doubled eaves of the worship hall. The Zuishin Gate, built the same year, uses the same detail.
The gabled roof entered from the gable end turns a triangle towards the path. The Kagura Hall opposite carries its eaves around all four sides. Standing in the middle of the approach and looking left and right makes the difference plain, and it is the clearest way to read what Kayashima Shrine Treasury contributes to the frontage.
Visiting
The interior of Kayashima Shrine Treasury (Temporary Sanctuary) is closed. Visitors should also stay out from under the open porch, and view the building from the path.
Standing on the east side of the approach, near the front of the Kagura Hall, brings the west-facing front square on. The spaced rafters need an upward angle, so step closer before looking up.
Photographing the exterior is not normally an issue; ask at the shrine office on 0859-27-2518 about photographs aimed inside or about tripods. Directions and the conditions of entry for the precinct are set out on the Kayashima Shrine page.
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Q&A
- What does "temporary sanctuary" mean here?
- It is the building that receives the deity when the main sanctuary has to be repaired and the seat moved. That is why there is an altar at the back of the interior.
- When was Kayashima Shrine Treasury built?
- In 1900, with repairs in 1976 and 2005.
- Can I go inside?
- No. The interior is closed. Please also stay out from under the open porch and view the building from the approach.
- Where in the precinct is it?
- Ahead of the worship hall on the west side of the approach, facing west, directly opposite the Kagura Hall.
- How does it differ in appearance from the Kagura Hall?
- By the roof. This building is gabled and entered from the gable end, presenting a triangle to the path, while the Kagura Hall is hipped and gabled with eaves on all four sides.
Basic Information
| Name | Kayashima Shrine Treasury (Temporary Sanctuary) |
|---|---|
| Location | 354 Hiyoshizu, Hiezu Village, Saihaku District, Tottori Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/11/2 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Floor area 29 square metres |
| Owner | Kayashima Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Precinct open; building interior closed |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Kayashima Shrine Treasury (Temporary Sanctuary)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012628
- Hiezu Village: About Kayashima Shrine
- https://www.hiezu.jp/list/kyouiku/e123/y114/a171/
- Hiezu Village: Registered Tangible Cultural Properties of Kayashima Shrine
- https://www.hiezu.jp/list/kyouiku/e123/y114/
- Tottori Prefecture Cultural Property Navigator: Kayashima Shrine
- https://db.pref.tottori.jp/bunkazainavi.nsf/bunkazai_web_view/BB16958A323A90D94925837F002C3D1C
Last verified: 2026.09.17
