About Yūtoku Inari Shrine
Yutoku Inari Shrine, also known as Jinsei Nikko, is located in Kashima City, Saga Prefecture, Japan, and the main deities of the shrine are Kura Inari Soul Omikami, Omiya Sell Omikami, and Sarutahiko Omikami, and the regular festival is held at the beginning of March every year. It was founded in 1687 and is one of the three major Inari shrines in Japan, along with Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Kyoto Prefecture and Kasama Inari Shrine in Ibaraki Prefecture. Inari Shrine is the most numerous shrine in Japan, and its main deity, Inari-kami, is a general term for the god of grain and food in Japanese mythology, and also symbolizes wealth.
Inside Yutoku Inari Shrine is a simple and elegant shrine with a solemn atmosphere. In the height of summer, the old trees in the sky are lush and flowers bloom, especially in the Higashiyama Park in the outer garden where about 50,000 azaleas bloom brilliantly, making it a famous place for azalea viewing. The main buildings of the shrine, such as the shrine hall, the worship hall, and the gate of the building, are painted in vermillion color with lacquer, which shines brightly against the surrounding lush greenery. Yutoku Inari Shrine is worshipped by 2.8 million people every year, as it enshrines the guardian gods of good harvests, prosperous trading, good family fortune, good fishing, and safe transportation.
How to get there
1855 Furueda-Otsu, Kashima, Saga 849-1321 MAP
0954-62-2151
Access (1)15 minutes by bus from Hizen Kashima Station (320 yen one way from “Kashima Bus Center” to “Yutoku Jinja-mae” (as of July, H26))
Tips
The shrine pavilion on scaffolding, like Kiyomizu-dera, is eye-catching, but the tower gate is also magnificent.
The Zuishin is Arita porcelain. The walls are also covered with porcelain panels made of Arita porcelain such as Kakiemon, which I thought was amazing.
The ceiling of the main hall of worship also has beautiful paintings.
