Indo-Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari Okami, the Shinto god of rice and fertility, located in the heart of Akita city. The shrine is famous for its vermilion torii gate and its role as a major pilgrimage site during the Akita Kurihara Festival.
- Religion
- shinto
- Enshrined kami
- Inari
- Kami enshrined
- Inari
- Coordinates
- 39.8873526, 140.1388612
Visitor tip
Visit the shrine's small museum to learn about Inari Okami's significance in Japanese mythology and browse the local crafts and goods on sale, including intricately woven rice straw bags.
Cultural notes
The Akita Kurihara Festival is held every autumn, where devotees carry sacred rice baskets through the streets to the shrine. The festival is said to have originated from a legend of Inari Okami saving a woman and her child from hunger by providing them with food.
Historical note
Founded in 1789 during the Edo period.