Kasama Inari Shrine, located in Kasama City in central Ibaraki Prefecture, is said to have been built in 651 during the Asuka Period, in the reign of Emperor Kotoku. Along with Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto and Yutoku Inari Shrine in Saga, it is known as one of Japan's three most famous Inari shrines.
The shrine is dedicated to the deity Ukanomitama no kami and has been widely worshiped as a guardian deity of all industries, including agriculture, fisheries, and commerce. The Asano family, involved in the famous Ako Case (Chushingura), were originally lords of the Kasama Domain and moved to Ako when Naganori Asano became the grandfather of Asano Shogun Naganori.
The Oishi family, the chief vassals of the Asano family, also revered Kasama Inari, and Oishi Kuranosuke enshrined Oishi Inari, which he had requested from Kasama Inari in his residence in Ako.
Behind the hall of worship stands the main shrine, a national important cultural property, which was reconstructed in the late Edo period. The shrine pavilions are decorated with magnificent carvings named "Santohappo-Nirami-no-Ryu (a dragon with three heads staring in all directions)" and " Botan-no-kara-jishi (peony lion)." The splendid decoration by the master craftsmen of the time is a beauty not to be missed.
The Nakamise, or the street in front of the shrine, is lined with souvenir stores and eateries. The popular specialties include Inari-zushi (sushi with fried bean curd), a favorite food of the foxes believed to be messengers of the god Inari, and Kurumi-Manju (walnut buns), named after the shrine's sacred tree, walnut.
Highlights
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The 400-year-old wisteria tree, which blooms with light purple flowers from late April to May every year, can also be seen here.
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This is the main venue for the "Kiku-Matsuri Festival," (Chrysanthemum Festival) held every year from mid-October to late November in Kasama City.
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"The Kasama History Exchange Center Izutsuya," located on the street in front of the shrine, provides information on Kasama's history and tourism. The building is the main building of Izutsuya, which used to be a long-established inn, and was renovated from an imposing structure from the mid-Meiji period. Open 9:00am-9:00pm, closed on Mondays (if Monday is a national holiday, the museum is closed the following day).
