Imohori Tōgoro Shrine
| Imohori Tōgoro Shrine 芋堀藤五郎神社 | |
|---|---|
 Imohori Tōgoro Shrine | |
  Location within Japan | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Shinto |
Type | Village shrine |
| Location | |
| Location | Yamashina-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan |
| Coordinates | 36°31′32″N 136°39′8″E / 36.52556°N 136.65222°E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | One-bay shrine built in the nagare-zukuri style |
| Founder | Yamashina Youth Association |
| Established | 1931, renovated 1988 |
| Glossary of Shinto | |
Imohori Tōgoro Shrine (芋堀藤五郎神社, imohori Tōgoro-jinja), also known as Tōgoro Shrine (藤五郎神社, Tōgoro-jinja) is a Shinto shrine located in the hillside community of Yamashina-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. It is a one-bay shrine built in the nagare-zukuri style.
The shrine is a featured cultural monument along the city's "Southern Hills Historical Dream Road" walking course.[1]
Association with the Tōgoro legend
The shrine is notable for its connection with the Kanazawa folk-legend of Tōgoro, a yam-digging (芋堀, imohori) resident of Yamashina (c.716), who found particles of gold when washing yams in a stream near Kanazawa's Kenroku-en park. According to the story, the "kanearai-sawa" (gold-washing stream) was the origin of Kanazawa's name.[2][3]
History
An inscribed plaque in the shrine grounds, written by the Japan Folklore Society, records that Imohori Tōgoro shrine was built in 1931 by the Yamashina Youth Association, who moved a monument commemorating Tōgoro from the nearby Yamashina Shrine to the new location. In 1988 it was renovated and enlarged, with a new shrine building and komainu guardian statues, tōrō stone lanterns, torii gate and chōzubachi hand-washing basin.[4]
References
- ↑ "The Kanazawa City Southern Hills Historical Dream Road (金沢南部丘陵歴史夢街道)". Kanazawa City Southern Hills Historical Dream Road Council. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ "Folktales and Legends > Imohori Togoro". Kanazawa CIty, Cultural Properties Protection Division. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ Ogura, Manabu; Fujishima, Hidetaka; Henmi, Jun (1976). Japanese Legends (12) Legends of Kaga and Noto (日本の伝説12 加賀・能登の伝説). Kadokawa Shoten. p. 20. ISBN 978-4047220126.
- ↑ "The origin of the place name Kanazawa and Togoro the potato digger". はじかみ神主のぶろぐ. Retrieved 20 July 2026.