知立神社

Chiryu City, Aichi

Chiryu Shrine

知立神社

A Renowned Tokaido Shrine Known as Mikawa Province's Second-Ranked Shrine

"Chiryu Shrine" stands in Nishimachi, Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture. Its origins trace back to Yamato Takeru-no-Mikoto, who prayed for victory during his campaign to pacify eastern Japan and enshrined an ancestral deity of the imperial family on his return. The shrine has attracted devoted worshipers for over 1,000 years. It enshrines four deities, including Ugayafukiaezu-no-Mikoto. Revered as the Ninomiya (second-ranking shrine) of Mikawa Province, it has long been associated with protection from mamushi pit vipers and blessings for safe childbirth. A tahoto pagoda designated as a National Important Cultural Property stands on the grounds. Together with the historic shrine buildings, it reflects the religious traditions passed down through generations.

A distinguished shrine with a long history stands along the historic Tokaido. Its name appears in the "Engishiki Jinmyocho", the register of shrines compiled during the Heian period.
During the Edo period, the shrine was known as "Chirifu Daimyojin" and was deeply revered as a kami associated with safe childbirth, prayers for rain, and protection from mamushi pit vipers.
The Tahoto Pagoda on the temple grounds is a valuable Buddhist structure that survived the anti-Buddhist movement of the Meiji period and has been designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

From the Assistant priest!

Assistant priest

Nonoyama Masato

As a Shinto priest, he serves as a "nakatorimochi," an intermediary connecting local parishioners with the deity, and devotes himself to serving the shrine. He carries out his duties with a strong sense of purpose while supporting worshippers' prayers and

Prayer Rites Attentive to Each Worshipper's Wishes

Prayer rites are conducted every day for a range of life events and personal wishes, including safe childbirth, Hatsumiyamairi, Shichi-Go-San, and purification for yakudoshi, or traditionally inauspicious years. Group prayers for companies and other organizations are also available, along with off-site ceremonies such as jichinsai ground-purification rites. Reservations are required for these services.
Oman no Kata, Who Became Tokugawa Ieyasu's Concubine and Bore Twins

Chiryu Shrine was served for generations by members of the Nagami family as its Shinto priests. "Oman no Kata", daughter of the seventeenth priest, became a concubine of Tokugawa Ieyasu while he was residing at Hamamatsu Castle. She gave birth to twin sons in Ubumi Village near the castle. One later became Yuki Hideyasu, while the other, Nagami Sadaai, was taken in by his mother's family and later succeeded as priest of "Chiryu Shrine".
Mamushi-Repelling Talismans That Spread Worship Nationwide

During the Edo period, the shrine was widely known as "Chirifu Daimyojin". Travelers along the Tokaido frequently received talismans for protection from mamushi pit vipers and for safety on their journeys. The talismans gained a reputation for protecting those who carried them from snakebites, and the deity was invited and enshrined at branch shrines across a wide area from northern Kanto to the Sanin region, attracting deep devotion.

Shichi-go-san (Children’s Ceremony)
Miyamairi (Newborn Blessing)
Matchmaking
Cutting Ties
Financial Luck
Business Prosperity
Yakuyoke (Purification)
Health & Well-being
Safe Childbirth
Exam Success
Traffic Safety
Fertility
Performing Arts
Love Fulfillment
Bountiful Harvest
Family Safety
Academic Success
Recovery from Illness

Tracing the past

Origins & Heritage

A Prestigious Ancient Shrine Enshrining Four Deities

Tradition holds that during the reign of Emperor Keiko, Yamato Takeru-no-Mikoto stopped here on his way to subdue the eastern regions, enshrined the ancestral deities of the imperial line, and prayed for victory. After the campaign, he is said to have built a shrine in gratitude, enshrining Ugayafukiaezu-no-Mikoto as the principal deity together with Hikohohodemi-no-Mikoto, Tamayorihime-no-Mikoto, and Kamu-Yamato-Iwarehiko-no-Mikoto. The shrine is listed as a shikinaisha in the "Engishiki Jinmyocho," compiled in 927, and in the medieval period was revered as Mikawa Province's Ninomiya. During the Edo period, it received deep devotion from local lords and other daimyo. Successive lords of the Kariya Domain worshipped here and made ritual offerings, while many daimyo passing through on sankin-kotai journeys are said to have received shrine talismans. Before the Meiji period, it was known as "Chirifu Daimyojin" and counted among the three major shrines along the Tokaido.

Main hall

A Shrine Hall Reflecting "Owari-zukuri" Architecture

During the Sengoku period, the shrine stood near the border between Owari and Mikawa provinces and was repeatedly caught in warfare. In 1547, the area became a battlefield between the Oda and Imagawa forces, and the shrine buildings were destroyed by fire set by Toda Nobumitsu, a commander on the Imagawa side. After the shrine site was temporarily moved to Shigehara Village, the shrine was relocated once again to its present location when new buildings were constructed in 1571, after the fighting had subsided.

The present Main Sanctuary, Heiden, Worship Hall, Saimonden Hall, and corridors, together with the auxiliary "Ubagami Shrine" and the "Chirifu-an" teahouse, were registered as National Tangible Cultural Properties in 2014. The shrine buildings from the Main Sanctuary to the Worship Hall are aligned in a single row along a north-south central axis. The entrance to the Worship Hall is positioned on the gabled end of the roof in a configuration known as "tsumairi." This architectural arrangement is called "Owari-zukuri" and is considered extremely rare in the Mikawa region, making it an important surviving example in the architectural history of shrines. The complex preserves both the history inherited through the upheavals of the Sengoku period and its distinctive architectural form.

Diverse Festivals and Events

Seasonal Events Shaped by Tradition

"Chiryu Shrine" holds a wide variety of festivals and events throughout the year. During the annual "Chiryu Matsuri" on May 2 and 3, a mikoshi procession and the dedication of red gourds take place. In years when the main festival is held every other year, five dashi festival floats line the shrine grounds. In addition to the impressive sight of these ornate floats, the "Chiryu Float Bunraku and Karakuri", performed atop the floats and handed down since the Edo period, is another major highlight. These traditions are inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list and are also designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. On a Sunday around September 23, the annual "Akiba Matsuri" is held at the subsidiary "Akibasha Shrine". Local young men offer hand-held tezutsu fireworks, filling the shrine grounds with a powerful display. At the neighboring Chiryu Park Iris Garden, approximately 30,000 Japanese irises bestowed by Meiji Jingu reach peak bloom from May through June. During the "Chiryu Park Japanese Iris Festival" held at this time, events including a treasure exhibition and karakuri puppet demonstrations draw many visitors.

Chiryu Shrine

知立神社

Address

12 Kanda, Nishimachi, Chiryu City, Aichi

Access

Car: 6 minutes from Kamishigehara IC on the Meihō Road; Train: 12-minute walk from Chiryu Station on the Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line and Mikawa Line

Website

https://chiryu-jinja.com/

TEL

+81-566-81-0055Please let the staff know that you saw this on "Tabiiro."

Social media

FAX

+81-566-81-0058

Business hours

9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. *Prayer services: 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. (reception may be unavailable at certain times on festival days); see the website for details

Holidays