The main hall of Samukawa Jinja (shrine). The building was built in 1997. Even so, the building looks and feels older, and reminds me a lot of Meiji Jingu in Tokyo. In Samukawa, Kanagawa, Japan.

Samukawa is a town of less than 50,000 people located on the shores of the Sagami River in central Kanagawa Prefecture.  The town comprises of mostly mixed residential and farmland, with some industry along the river.  For most, the town is almost completely unremarkable, except for the river.  So imagine my surprise when I heard of a shrine in Samukawa that was large, important, and the foundations of which potentially go back to ancient times.  So, of course, I had to check it out, and what I found in this sleepy town was not at all what I expected.

The main gate of Samukawa Jinja leading into the central courtyard.

The current buildings of Samukawa Jinja are fairly new, but the origins of the shrine predate written records.  The earliest legends around the shrine involve a visit from the Emperor Yuryaku, who is believed to have reigned in the early and mid-5^th century, though historians aren’t sure exactly when he reigned.  The record of this event is shared in an 8^th century Fudoki, a type of local cultural, historical and mythological text, from a different, nearby province.  So, while it is impossible to verify the accuracy of such a story, it is probable that the shrine did exist in some form before the early 700s.  The first official mention of the shrine in a verifiable text is in the 9^th century Japanese historical books, called the Shoku Nihon Koki.  Whatever source or legend you decide to believe, however, the simple fact is that Samukawa Jinja is old.

This secondary gate was built in the mid to late 1920s following the Great Kanto Earthquake, making it the oldest structure on the grounds.

But age isn’t the only reason why the early history of Samukawa Jinja is nearly impossible to find.  Many of the famous, old shrines that are well documented in Japanese history are dedicated to the Japanese Imperial household and family or related deities.  Samukawa Jinja, however, has always been a local shrine devoted to a pair of local gods and centered on a small, natural pond that still exists behind the modern shrine.  It has no connection to the Imperial family shrines and the local deities aren’t mentioned in ancient historical texts.  That is why it is impressive that, not only is Samukawa Jinja larger than most small-town countryside shrines, it was once the ichinomiya, or primary shrine, for the former Sagami province.  It still retains the title, but it is more of an honorary title than an official honor in modern times.  When the Shinto religion was reorganized at the beginning of the Meiji period, Samukawa Jinja was listed as a mid-ranking, nationally recognized shrine.

Saizen Temple, located directly across from Samukawa Jinja proper. As Buddhism took hold in Japan, eventually the temples began to overtake, and in many cases take over operation of the Shinto shrines. Saizen Temple was one of five related temples that controlled Samukawa Jinja. It is the only one that still remains.  There is a second temple beside Samukawa Jinja, but it is unrelated.

Today, the shrine has been updated and modernized, but it still retains the old, antique feel of an ancient shrine.  In this way, without knowing how old the buildings are, it is difficult, if not impossible for someone to tell how old everything really is.  In reality, however, the shrine has been rebuilt several times over the years, most recently almost 20 years ago.  In Shinto, there is no sentimental attachment to the buildings at a shrine.  They are considered completely replaceable, and at the Imperial Shrine at Ise, the buildings are dismantled and rebuilt every twenty years.  The reason for this is that rebuilding the shrines is a way to pass down the construction methods, architectural styles, and old technologies to each subsequent generation of Japanese.  Furthermore, to the Shinto, the land is what is important.  The pond and garden behind the shrine are considered a holy site that, until recently, was forbidden to the public.  Only the priests and acolytes were allowed to go in.  Even today, one has to undergo a purification ritual to visit the pond.  This is something likely offered to those who follow Shinto, however, so foreign visitors may find it difficult to gain access.

Miyayama Shine, located on the grounds of Samukawa Jinja. In the Meiji period, the Shinto religion was reorganized and many smaller shrines and deities were consolidated into larger shrines. Miyayama is one of 50 small shrines that were combined into Samukawa Jinja.

Even so, Samukawa Jinja is a great place to visit if you are in the area.  It isn’t built up, and it is definitely not a place geared toward tourism.  It is, however, a beautiful place to walk around, and there are several great events throughout the year.  The biggest highlights are the Torchlight Noh event in mid-August and a festival in late September that features traditional horse archery.  Even if there aren’t any events going on though, it is a beautiful, peaceful place to take a walk and explore.  So if you live in Kanagawa or even western Tokyo and have a day off, Samukawa is worth a look.

Samukawa Jinja’s Takigi Noh event. Held every year on the anniversary of Japan’s surrender at the end of WWII. This theater event commemorates all who died in the war and is meant to promote world peace. For this reason, the event is free unlike most similar events at other shrines.
To get tickets, you need to submit a written request -in Japanese- ahead of time.

The entrance to Samukawa Jinja proper. There is a beautiful pond, fountain, and forest area through the Tori gate.

Access:  Samukawa Shrine is about ten minutes’ walk from Miyayama Station on the JR Sagami line.

Special thanks to Rev. Kosuke Inukami, Rev. Yoshiaki Katou, and Rev. Masafumi Nakanishi for anwering my questions about Samukawa Jinja and Shinto in general.  Thank you very much for your help.

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