Nagoya, Japan Shrine Visit Report 2026 Atsuta No.44 Hakusansha

May 24, 2026

Hakusansha Shrine in Kinome-cho, Atsuta Ward, Nagoya, Japan — A Local Shrine That Remained After Jizo-in Temple Moved

On May 16, 2026, I visited Hakusansha Shrine in Kinome-cho, Atsuta Ward, Nagoya, Japan.
Hakusansha now stands inside a residential area. It is a small shrine surrounded by houses and apartment buildings.
However, after passing through the stone torii gate, stone lanterns line both sides of the approach, and the main shrine building stands at the back with small shrines on both sides.

What impressed me most was not the size of the shrine itself, but the density of stone structures within its narrow grounds: komainu guardian lion-dogs, stone lanterns, a natural stone water basin, and small shrine buildings all remain together in a compact space.

Front view of Hakusansha Shrine and stone torii gate in Kinome-cho, Atsuta Ward, Nagoya, Japan — Beyond the stone torii gate, the approach leads straight toward the shrine building, with komainu, stone lanterns, and the shrine structure aligned in a narrow space. The shrine is surrounded by houses and apartment buildings, showing that this small shrine ground remains within the town. The komainu are covered with green wire mesh. An inscription on the back of the torii gate confirmed the year 1966.

Three shrine structures standing together at Hakusansha Shrine in Nagoya, Japan — This is the shrine building at the back of the precinct. The central building is Hakusansha Shrine, with small shrine structures placed on both sides. From what I could confirm on site, the names and deities of the side shrines were not clear.

Central Hakusansha Shrine building and small shrines on both sides in Nagoya, Japan — This photo shows the central shrine building and the small shrine structures on both sides from the front. Within a small shrine ground surrounded by residences, several small spaces of worship remain together.

Stone lanterns lining the approach at Hakusansha Shrine in Nagoya, Japan — This view looks from the shrine building toward the torii gate. Stone lanterns line both sides of the approach, compressing the basic structure of a shrine into a narrow site. Rather than size, the density of stone structures is what leaves a strong impression here.

Stone lantern with a 1922 inscription at Hakusansha Shrine in Nagoya, Japan — A 1922 inscription can be confirmed on this stone lantern. A light bulb is installed inside the fire box.

Komainu guardian lion-dog covered with wire mesh at Hakusansha Shrine in Nagoya, Japan — The komainu near the entrance was covered with wire mesh. It appears to be a reinforcement to help prevent the stone guardian from falling due to age-related deterioration.

Inscription on the komainu pedestal at Hakusansha Shrine in Nagoya, Japan — A 1922 inscription can be confirmed on the pedestal of the komainu. The komainu itself is covered with wire mesh, suggesting that the stone guardian has been protected and reinforced.

Natural stone water basin at Hakusansha Shrine in Atsuta Ward, Nagoya, Japan — The shrine has a water basin made from natural stone. The large character for “purity” is carved on the front, and the basin preserves the texture of the stone itself rather than being shaped into a simple rectangular form.

At a Glance

Location	303 Kinome-cho, Atsuta Ward, Nagoya, Japan
Name	Hakusansha Shrine
Main deity	Kukurihime no Mikoto
Founding date	Unknown
Main features	Stone torii gate, komainu guardian lion-dogs, stone lanterns, natural stone water basin, shrine building, and small shrines on both sides
Focus of this article	This article records the shrine’s connection with Jizo-in Temple, its small shrine ground inside a residential area, and the dense arrangement of stone structures.

Hakusansha Shrine as a Guardian Shrine of Jizo-in Temple

The important point in the history of Hakusansha Shrine is its connection with Jizo-in Temple.

According to shrine tradition, Hakusansha was enshrined in 1317 as the guardian shrine of the gate of Kinpozan Jizo-in Temple in Atsuta Hataya Village. Later, in 1576, Jizo-in Temple moved to Atsuta Tanaka Village, but Hakusansha is said to have remained in this place. In 1633, it is said to have separated from the authority of Jizo-in Temple and became the local guardian shrine of Kinome-cho.

This history is especially interesting because the temple moved away, but Hakusansha remained here and eventually came to be treated as the local shrine of Kinome-cho.

The Shrine History Is Not Completely Simple

The history of Hakusansha Shrine should be treated with some caution.

What can be said with confidence is that Hakusansha has long been described as a shrine closely connected with Jizo-in Temple, and that it now remains within the residential area of Kinome-cho.

A Small Shrine Site Remaining inside a Residential Area

Hakusansha stands in a slightly unusual position within the current townscape.

The shrine is surrounded by houses and apartment buildings, and its grounds are not large. It is not enclosed by a large forest, and it does not have the atmosphere of a major independent shrine.

Even so, the stone torii gate, komainu, approach, stone lanterns, water basin, shrine building, and small side shrines all remain clearly in place.

It almost feels as if the shrine has stayed in this place while the town around it changed. This article does not try to overstate that setting, but records Hakusansha as a small local shrine that remains within a residential area.

Reading Hakusansha through Stone Structures

The most important elements of Hakusansha in this visit are the stone structures.

Stone lanterns along the approach, komainu covered with wire mesh, a natural stone water basin, stone fencing, and the stone torii gate all remain together within the narrow grounds.

Hakusansha is not only a shrine building. It is a shrine where layers of time can be read through the stone structures.

Historical Timeline

AD	Event
1317	According to shrine tradition, Hakusansha was enshrined as the guardian shrine of the gate of Kinpozan Jizo-in Temple in Atsuta Hataya Village.
1576	Jizo-in Temple is said to have moved to Atsuta Tanaka Village, while Hakusansha remained in this place.
1633	Hakusansha is said to have separated from the authority of Jizo-in Temple and become the local guardian shrine of Kinome-cho.
1871	An inscription is said to remain on the stone fence within the shrine grounds.
1922	An inscription can be confirmed on the stone lanterns.
Today	Hakusansha remains as a small shrine in Kinome-cho, surrounded by houses and apartment buildings.

Main Deity and Small Side Shrines

Main deity	Kukurihime no Mikoto
Nature of the faith	Kukurihime no Mikoto is associated with Hakusan faith.
Small side shrines	Small shrine structures can be seen on both sides of the main shrine building, but their names and deities could not be confirmed on site.
How this article treats them	This article treats Kukurihime no Mikoto as the main deity and records the small side shrines as unidentified.

What the Photos Show

What I found on site is that Hakusansha is a very dense small shrine.

The grounds are not wide. Rather, they form a narrow shrine site surrounded by houses and apartment buildings. Even so, a stone torii gate, komainu, stone lanterns, water basin, shrine building, and small side shrines all remain within that space.

The komainu covered with wire mesh and the natural stone water basin are especially memorable. They prevent Hakusansha from being just another small neighborhood shrine and give it value as a place that can be read through stone structures.

Why This Place Matters

The dense arrangement of stone structures makes this shrine valuable as a local record.

The history of a town does not remain only in large shrines or famous temples. A narrow shrine ground in a residential area, komainu covered with wire mesh, rows of stone lanterns, and a natural stone water basin can also preserve the faith and time protected by local people.

Hakusansha is a small shrine that remained in Kinome-cho after Jizo-in Temple moved away, and it is worth recording as part of the town’s local memory.

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Written on: May 17, 2026