Isaniwa Jinja Shrine
A Hachiman-zukuri style shrine set on a hill in Dogo. The existing shrine buildings were constructed in 1667 (Kanbun 7) by Matsudaira Sadanaga, lord of the Matsuyama Domain, and the main hall and other structures are designated National Important Cultural Properties.
Isaniwa Shrine is a shrine located in Sakuradanicho, Matsuyama City. It is a Shikinaisha (shrine listed in the Engishiki) and is enshrined on a hill up the stone steps on the east side of Dogo Onsen Honkan. The main enshrined deities are Emperor Chuai, Empress Jingu, and others, and it has been called "Yuzuki Hachiman" since ancient times.
Hachiman-zukuri Style Shrine Buildings
The existing shrine buildings were constructed in 1667 by Sadanaga Matsudaira, the lord of the Matsuyama Domain. They are in the "Hachiman-zukuri" style, which features two buildings connected front to back. Along with Usa Jingu in Oita and Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū in Kyoto, it is said to be one of only three remaining examples of Hachiman-zukuri in the country. It is said to have been built modeled after Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū.
Important Cultural Properties
The Honden (main hall) was designated as a national Important Cultural Property in 1956, and the Shinnden (hall of worship), corridor, Romon (tower gate), and Kairo (cloister) were designated as such in 1967. In addition, a sword (tachi) made in the Kamakura period and dedicated by Sadanaga Matsudaira (inscribed Kuniyuki, length 77.7 cm) is also a national Important Cultural Property. The vermilion-painted shrine buildings and steep stone steps are impressive.
Sangaku (Votive Tablets for Wasan)
As shrine treasures, 22 sangaku panels dedicated from the late Edo period to the Meiji period have been passed down and are designated as Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Ehime Prefecture (dating from 1803 to the Showa period). Sangaku are votive tablets (ema) dedicated to shrines that record problems and solutions of wasan (mathematics that developed independently in Japan), and it is rare nationwide for this many to remain together.
Access
- About a 5-minute walk from Dogo Onsen Honkan
- Location: 173 Sakuradanicho, Matsuyama City
Source: Cultural Heritage Online, "Isaniwa Shrine" Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), Ehime Prefecture official information. Please check the site or official sources for worship information.
Last confirmed date: July 2026
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