Nanto Kagami Shrine

Overview

Nanto Kagami Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the Takabatakecho district of Nara City, Nara Prefecture. It enshrines Fujiwara no Hirotsugu and stands quietly amid the calm streets of the ancient capital. Its hall preserves the Kasuga-zukuri style that gives Nara's shrines their distinctive character, and it has long been cherished as a local village shrine.

Highlights

• ●Fujiwara no Hirotsugu enshrined as the shrine's deity
• ●A hall built in the Kasuga-zukuri style emblematic of Nara
• ●A long history traced to a founding around the year 800
• ●A tranquil setting in Takabatake, close to Nara Park

History

Shrine tradition dates its founding to around the year 800, giving it a long and storied history. Its enshrined deity is Fujiwara no Hirotsugu, an official of the Nara period. Formerly ranked as a village shrine, it gathered the faith of the surrounding community over the centuries. Its hall is built in the Kasuga-zukuri style, carrying on the architectural spirit passed down through Nara's shrines.

Map

34.6754, 135.8460 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Walk through the old streets of Takabatake toward the shrine
2. 2Look up slowly at the form of the Kasuga-zukuri hall
3. 3Pay a quiet visit to the main hall dedicated to Fujiwara no Hirotsugu
4. 4Continue on to nearby Nara Park and Kasuga Taisha

Did you know?

💡 The Kasuga-zukuri seen in the hall is one of Nara's signature shrine styles, marked by a gabled roof with a canopy extending over the front. The enshrined deity, Fujiwara no Hirotsugu, is known as a figure of the Nara period.

Nearby spots