Takekoma-jinja Shrine, one of Japan’s three Inari shrines, was founded in 842 (Jouwa 9). The shrine enshrines the gods of clothing, food, and shelter, and attracts many worshippers. It has a two-story tower gate (Zuijimon Gate) and a Chinese-style gate built in the Edo period (1603-1867).
Takekoma Shrine is said to have been built in the Heian period (794-1185) and is one of the three Shinto shrines in Japan. It has long been worshipped by people because it enshrines the deity Kurainatama, the deity of food preservation, and the deity of childbirth, which governs human beings’ food, clothing, and shelter.
The Karamon Gate, designated as a tangible cultural property of Miyagi Prefecture, is believed to have been built in 1842 (Tempo 13) to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of the shrine’s founding. It is highly regarded as a representative building of shrine architecture built in the prefecture in the late Edo period (1603-1868).
The shrine attracts one of the largest crowds of worshippers in the Tohoku region during the annual Hatsumode Festival in January, and the Takekoma-nare, the procession of the portable shrine, is a must-see event during the Hatsuuma Grand Festival, the largest festival held at Takekoma Shrine in March. The skillful throwing and catching of the hair spear is a sight to behold.
Doors open at 6:00 a.m., close at 5:00 p.m.
Approx. 20 minutes on foot from Iwanuma Station on the JR Joban Line and Tohoku Main Line
Approx. 10 min. by car from Iwanuma IC on Sendai-Tobu Road