Ichinomiya Nukisaki Shrine

Overview

Ichinomiya Nukisaki Shrine stands in the Ichinomiya district of Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture, and served as the ichinomiya (first-ranked shrine) of the former Kozuke Province. Listed as a Shikinaisha of the highest Myojin Taisha class, it later held the rank of Kokuhei Chusha and is today a Beppyo shrine of the Association of Shinto Shrines. Its most striking feature is an unusual layout in which worshippers climb a stone stairway and then descend toward the main hall, making the visit itself a memorable experience.

Highlights

• ●The rare kudari-miya layout where you climb then descend to worship
• ●Main halls designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan
• ●Its standing as the first-ranked shrine of old Kozuke Province
• ●A place woven into local memory through Jomo Karuta

History

According to tradition the shrine was founded in the 6th century, around the year 530, and has long stood as the leading shrine of Kozuke Province. It appears in the Engishiki register of the Heian period and is counted among the prestigious Myojin Taisha. Its main buildings are designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and the shrine has been carefully preserved as a center of faith for the region across the centuries. It is also celebrated on the yu card of the local Jomo Karuta card game.

Map

36.2551, 138.8579 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Climb the stone stairway and pause at the top to take in the grounds
2. 2Descend toward the main hall to feel the unusual kudari-miya design
3. 3Admire the carvings and structure of the culturally important halls
4. 4Continue on to central Tomioka or the Tomioka Silk Mill afterward

Did you know?

💡 Nukisaki is known as a kudari-miya, a shrine reached by descending to the main hall after first climbing upward. This rare arrangement is shared by only a handful of shrines nationwide, alongside Udo Shrine in Miyazaki and Kusakabe Yoshimi Shrine in Kumamoto, and it delights travelers who enjoy exploring unusual shrines.

Nearby spots