Nagoya Shrine Visit Report 2025 Mizuho No.24 Ukijima Shrine

A Shrine Cat, and an Unexpected Bow

On December 16, 2025, in the afternoon, I visited Ukishima Jinja in Mizuho Ward, Nagoya. It is a small shrine tucked into the corner of a public park.

I follow the same respectful routine whenever I visit a shrine: a bow when entering the grounds, and in front of the sanctuary, two bows, two claps, and one final bow.

That day, I noticed a cat grooming itself as soon as I stepped inside. The shrine was quiet, and the cat looked completely at home, as if it belonged to the sacred space more than anyone else.

I run japanstones.shop, where I introduce authentic shrine stoneworks and the stone culture rooted in Japan. Recently, visiting shrines has become a personal hobby as well. I performed my usual two bows, two claps, and one bow—only to realize the angle was perfect, and I had unintentionally bowed toward the cat. I laughed to myself.

My mind wandered: could it be a Cait Sith? Cait Sith is often described as a “cat fairy” from European folklore. Of course, in reality, it was simply a cat. But shrines are places that naturally allow these harmless leaps of imagination. Stone steps, komainu guardians, boundary stones, and still air—add a cat to that scene, and the outline of the sacred space softens slightly. Strangely, that makes the memory even sharper.

Ukishima Jinja at a Glance

Small Shrine, Clear Boundaries

Ukishima Jinja is not a tourist destination, and that is exactly why it is interesting. In a compact space, the shrine’s structure becomes easy to read. The stonework does the job of architecture: it draws a clean line between “outside” and “inside.”

Even at a glance, you can feel how the site is composed: a slightly raised enclosure, short stone steps, komainu placed to face the approach, and stones that quietly define the perimeter. In larger shrines, these details can fade into the background. Here, they stand out.

One feature that impressed me was the presence of a clear inner boundary, including a practical gate. It is functional, but it also acts as a visible border. A single line like that can change the density of silence. The moment you cross it, your posture and attention naturally settle.

The Name “Ukishima” and the Memory of Land

Stories about the place-name “Ukishima” often connect it to older landscapes and water. There are different explanations, but the shared image is simple: a slightly higher piece of ground that could look like an “island” when surrounded by water.

Standing on the stone steps, I felt how a small structure can trigger a much larger imagination. A shrine does not only preserve wood and stone. It can also preserve the memory of land.

A Cat Turns a Ritual into a Vivid Experience

The cat did not care about boundaries. The gate was a border for people, not for a resident animal. And that contrast was strangely perfect: sacred geometry built from stone, plus a living presence that refuses to take it too seriously.

Because of that, the visit stayed with me as a real experience, not just a formal routine.

Closing

Japan is often said to have around 80,000 shrines. I mainly visit and introduce shrines in Mizuho Ward, Nagoya, where my office is located.

Japan’s stone culture moved through temples, expanded through shrines, and later became part of Japanese gardens. The stonemasons I work with also create traditional works for temples and shrines across Japan—stone lanterns, komainu, Jizo statues, and Inari figures.

I hope this visit note helps you find inspiration for Japanese garden design, placement, and atmosphere—starting from the quiet power of stone boundaries.

Last updated: 2025-12-16 (JST)