Yutoku Inari Shrine [祐徳稲荷神社]

Yutoku Inari Shrine ("Yûtoku Inari jinja" in Japanese) is a Shinto shrine in Kashima city in the south part of Saga Prefecture.

Kashima city is located about 30 km southwest of Saga city, and the shrine is about 5 km south of the center of the city.
It is in a narrow valley formed by Hama River.

This shrine is one of the three largest Inari Shrines, along with Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto and Toyokawa Inari in Aichi Prefecture.

So, about 3 million worshippers visit this shrine every year.

This shrine is relatively new as a Shinto shrine, and was founded in 1687.

The wife of the lord of Kashima Domain built this shrine with Inari gods (the gods of food, agriculture, business).

She herself had served this shrine, then she fell into deep meditation and died in a small temple in 1705.

Since that, this shrine has gathered the people's belief.

First, visitors pass through Roumon gate (楼門).
It is very colorful and gorgeous.

There are two statues of guardian deities of the shrine on both sides in Roumon.
They are the porcelains made in Arita (Arita ware) in Saga Prefecture.

We can see the big and attractive main shrine Gohonden (御本殿) in front of us.

It was destroyed by fire in 1949, and was rebuilt in 1957.

It is very unique as Shinto shrine.

The shrine is set up on the slope of a mountain, and is supported by exposed red poles.
It is located 18 meters above the ground.

The structure is similar to Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto.

The shrine of Gohonden is also very gorgeous.
Inari gods are enshrined in this shrine.

We can enter the shrine by climbing stone stairs.

On the right side of Gohonden, an elevator was set up for handicapped person in 2017.
Of course, we can also use the elevator.
It costs money (300 yen), but "Omikuji" (a fortunetelling slip for you) is given.

We can see the precincts of the shrine from the terrace of Gohonden.

On the top of the mountain, there is Okunoin (奥の院).
It is a small shrine and enshrines a white fox which is the messenger of Inari god.

We climb a steep path about 300 meters long to go to Okunoin.
There are some tunnels of many Torii gates.

There is small Iwasakisha shrine (岩崎社) at the foot of the terrace of Gohonden.

The God of Marriage is worshiped in Iwasakisha, and many young women visit here.

Yutoku Inari Shrine

How to get here

By JR limited expresss for Nagasaki, to Hizen-Kashima, about 60 to 70 minutes from Hakata, about 20 minutes from Saga.
Then, by route bus, about 15 minutes from the shrine.

Other Tourist Attractions in Saga Prefecture

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