Overview
Gokoku Shrine stands in Torihokamachi, Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, enshrining Toyoukehime-no-kami as its principal deity, with Inatsugi Inaba Masazane venerated alongside. As its name Gokoku (the five grains) suggests, the shrine is deeply tied to harvests and food, and it belongs to the network of the Association of Shinto Shrines. Within its grounds lies the Gogaku no Mori, where busts of notable figures from Kurume stand, making this a layered spot where you can touch on local history and its people as well as worship.
Highlights
- ●Principal deity Toyoukehime-no-kami, closely tied to grain and harvest
- ●The story of a shrine linked to Tanaka Hisashige, founder of Toshiba
- ●The Gogaku no Mori, lined with busts of six notable Kurume natives
- ●A historic Kurume shrine within the Association of Shinto Shrines
History
The principal deity Toyoukehime-no-kami is known as a god of food and grain, and Inatsugi Inaba Masazane is enshrined in the auxiliary hall. The shrine is also remembered as a place connected to Tanaka Hisashige, the inventor nicknamed Karakuri Giemon who later founded what became Toshiba. Hisashige was born in Kurume, and his name is carved among the busts standing in the Gogaku no Mori. For the full story of the shrine's founding, official information offers deeper insight.
Access
The shrine is located at 58 Torihokamachi, Kurume City, around 33.31 degrees north and 130.52 degrees east. Sitting in the urban district, it can be reached from JR Kurume Station or Nishitetsu Kurume Station by city bus, on foot, or by car. Linked to the Fukuoka area by rail and expressway, it is an easy stop as part of Kurume sightseeing. Please check parking and visiting hours via official sources.
Best season
The New Year, busy with first-visit worshippers, along with the harvest seasons when prayers for abundant grain feel especially fitting, best capture the shrine's character. The lush green of spring to early summer and the clear air of autumn also suit a stroll. Check official information for event dates.
Map
33.3161, 130.5261 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Head to Gokoku Shrine from JR or Nishitetsu Kurume Station
- 2Pay respects at the main hall to Toyoukehime and the auxiliary deity
- 3Walk the Gogaku no Mori and view the busts of Kurume's notable figures
- 4Round off the day with the food and sights of central Kurume
Did you know?
💡 In the Gogaku no Mori within the grounds stand busts of six distinguished people born in Kurume: Inoue Den, Tanaka Hisashige, Kurata Taizo, Ishibashi Shojiro, Ishibashi Tokujiro, and Narahashi Wataru. Ties to figures who shaped modern Japan, including the founding family of Bridgestone and a great inventor, are an essential part of what makes this shrine remarkable.
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