West Aomori · TsugaruNo.1296★★Open in map →
Takayama Inari Shrine
A shrine in Tsugaru, western Aomori, where red torii twist through a pond garden in a line likened to a dragon. It is prayed to for harvests, safety at sea and business, and keeps stone foxes retired from Inari shrines across Japan.
- FromGoshogawara Station (JR Gono Line)
- ~30 minTaxi or car from the station
- Takayama Inari Shrine
The sweet spot
This is a well-known shrine that the prefecture's own tourism site features, so it is not a hidden spot. It simply takes more effort than most: there is no station close by, and the last leg is by taxi or car.
Where it is
34 more notes in Aomori · open the map →What to look for — in walking order
- Main hallthe haiden, reached up long flights of steps, with a gentler side slope, the onna-zaka, for an easier climb
- Ryujin-gu and the ponda small shrine to the dragon god beside a pond crossed by an arched red bridge
- Stone foxesfox statues that served at Inari shrines across Japan, gathered here after prayers
- Senbon toriired torii about 2 metres tall, set in a long dragon-like line through the garden
- Lookoutthe viewpoint at the end of the torii, where the whole winding line comes into view
How to actually get there
- Goshogawara Station → Takayama Inari Shrine (taxi or rental car, about 30 min).
- From the car park, climb the steps, or the gentler side slope, to the main hall.
- Go on to the pond shrine, then walk the line of torii to the lookout at the end.
- On the way out, stop at the small park in front of the main torii for the Chesborough memorial.
- Taxi or car from Goshogawara Station
- Goshogawara Station →(taxi or rental car, about 30 min)→ Takayama Inari Shrine. Goshogawara is served by the JR Gono Line, and by the Tsugaru Railway at Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station. There is a car park at the shrine.
- Back to Goshogawara
- Return the same way. Taxis are not always waiting at a rural shrine, so book the return car before you set off, or arrange a pick-up time with the driver.
About the place
Takayama Inari Shrine stands on a low rise in Ushigata, in the city of Tsugaru in western Aomori. It enshrines three deities and is prayed to for good harvests, safety at sea and success in business. The scene most visitors come for lies a short walk beyond the main hall. There, red torii stand one after another and bend back and forth through a landscaped garden around a pond, in a line often likened to a dragon. Along the way wait stone foxes that once served at Inari shrines elsewhere in Japan and were brought here after prayers. The grounds also hold a cluster of smaller Inari shrines and a shrine to the dragon god.
How to enjoy it
Walk the grounds in order, from the main hall to the pond shrine and then along the torii, and finish at the lookout, where the line of gates reads as one shape. Each season changes the frame: cherry blossom in spring, fresh green in summer, and snow against the red in winter. On the hill in front of the main torii, a small park holds the Chesborough memorial, carved with the names of the crew who died, and a deck that looks out to sea.
Background & history
The shrine's founding date is not recorded. Tradition credits it to the Ando clan, who ruled this area between the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, and Inari worship came to it later, in the Edo period. Its annual festival is held each year on 25 September. This stretch of Tsugaru also has a story of the sea. In 1889 the American sailing ship Chesborough ran aground off what is now the city of Tsugaru; 19 of its 23 crew died, and villagers rescued the four survivors and nursed them.
Before you go
- Cash
- Neither the shrine's site nor the prefecture's tourism site lists an admission fee for the grounds. Carry cash for the taxi.
- Before you go
- Visiting hours are set by the shrine, and the times given by different guides do not match, so check them before you go. In winter the grounds lie under snow, so dress and walk for it.
- Another way
- From Goshogawara Station, the Konan Bus line that runs via Jusan stops at Takayama Jinja Iriguchi. From there it is a short taxi ride to the shrine. Check the timetable before relying on the bus.
- After you get off
- Goshogawara Station is the last rail stop. The shrine is far beyond walking distance, so take a taxi from the station or drive.