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Nara Jinja Shrine
1st Century BCE
Prayers and pomegranates, where the Deity of Conception is enshrined.
Along the Kamikaido road in northern Tenri City is a small, ancient, and very special shrine called Nara Jinja shrine. One of the oldest records in Japan, the Nihonshoki (written in 8th century) mentions Nara Jinja shrine in the 10th year of Emperor Sujin, estimated to be 88 BC.
Enshrined at Nara Jinja shrine is Kishimojin, the Guardian Deity of Children and Deity of Conception. On the grounds of the shrine is a tall pomegranate tree, wrapped in white shide paper indicating that it is sacred. With many seeds inside, pomegranates are a symbol of great conception, and there has long been a custom of wrapping them in white paper and offering them to the shrine.
The grounds also include a well called Mimasui Well. The well was offered by Ichikawa Danjuro VIII, a famous 19th century Kabuki actor, and has sacred water that is said to bring conception.
It is also said that people who prayed at Nara Jinja shrine and were blessed with a child often used the character of Nara (oak) or the characters of Nara prefecture in their children’s names.
Even today, many people worship Kishimojin and treasure Nara Jinja shrine. We hope you can visit this shrine in autumn when the colorful pomegranates are in season.
Access
By car: Nara Jinja shrine is about 1 km northwest of the Tenri IC on the Nishi-Meihan Expressway.
By train: Nara Jinja shrine is about 500 meters northeast of JR Ichinomoto Station.
By bus: Nara Jinja shrine is about 500 meters west of the Shirakawabashi bus stop on the Nara Kotsu bus line.
Environment
Nara Jinja shrine is located along an ancient road. Around the 7th century, this road was called the Kamitsumichi road, a major road in the eastern Nara Basin. Later during the Edo period (1603-1868), it was called the Kamikaido road, a major road of the region. Thanks to this rich history, there are still many shrines, temples, and historic places from many eras along this one road. When you walk it, we hope you can enjoy the traditional buildings in the streetscape as well.
Point
The current roof of the main shrine was passed down from Kasuga Taisha shrine in Nara City in 1862, during Kasuga Taisha shrine’s reconstruction. The hiwada-buki shingles and Kasuga style roof is very rare and precious, and it is said that Nara Jinja shrine parishioners carried the roof themselves from Kasuga Taisha shrine.
Nara Jinja shrine’s main festival is every October 10th, and there is a procession to its upper shrine (Shinmei Jinja shrine) on the 11th.
Map
Information
| Course： |
Ichinomoto Course
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|---|---|
| Address： | 443 Nara Town, Tenri City, Nara Prefecture |
| Admission： | Free |
| Parking： | No |
| Rest Area： | No |
| Toilet： | No |
| Contact： | |
| Website： | |
| Social Media： |
Photo Gallery
