The red lacquerwork of the 1715 buildings became a National Treasure in 2022.
Its origins go back to the sixth century, on the slopes of the Takachiho-no-mine volcano: destroyed several times by eruptions, the shrine moved to its present site in 1484 and was rebuilt in its current form in 1715 at the wish of Shimazu Yoshitaka. The red lacquer and polychrome carvings of its buildings earned it the nickname ‘Nikkō of the West’; the sacred cedar in the grounds is about 800 years old and is considered the ancestor of the cedars of southern Kyūshū.
A Shinto shrine dedicated to the deities of the heavenly descent in the Japanese founding myth, with the rank of Kanpei Taisha since 1874. On 9 February 2022 the main building, the offering hall and the worship hall were designated a National Treasure.
ℹ️ Free admission to the grounds, accessible 24 hours a day; the office for amulets and goshuin is open about 8:00–17:00. Recommended visiting time about an hour; from Kirishima-jingū railway station to the shrine it is about 5 minutes by car or 15 by bus.
🚉 客室棟 · 13 min walk
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