Miyoshino Shrine
Miyoshino Shrine, located in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, is a historic shrine renowned for its deep connection to the traditional Japanese nursery rhyme “Tōryanse” (“Let Me Pass”). It is widely believed that the approach path to this shrine served as the setting for the song, earning it the title of “Birthplace of Japanese Nursery Rhymes.”
The origins of Miyoshino Shrine predate the construction of Kawagoe Castle, and its foundation stories vary. Some traditions claim it was a branch shrine of Hikawa Shrine in Saitama City, while others suggest it was established by inviting the deity from Kitano Tenmangū in Kyoto. The name “Miyoshino” derives from a location mentioned in The Tales of Ise, where the poet Ariwara no Narihira refers to “Miyoshino Village in Iruma District,” believed to be an ancient place name of the Kawagoe area.
The current shrine buildings date to the early Edo period. In 1624, Sakai Tadakatsu, lord of the Kawagoe domain, rebuilt the shrine under the order of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun. The following year, the relocation ceremony was conducted by the high priest Tenkai Sōjō. The shrine later became one of the shogunate’s directly supervised shrines, alongside Kita-in Temple and Senba Tōshōgū Shrine. In 1656, the fourth shogun Tokugawa Ietsuna ordered Matsudaira Nobutsuna, lord of Kawagoe Castle, to undertake major renovations, including the relocation of the Tōshōgū main sanctuary from Edo Castle’s Ninomaru, giving the shrine its present Gongen-zukuri architectural style.
The shrine enshrines Susanoo-no-Mikoto and Kushinadahime-no-Mikoto as its main deities, with Sugawara no Michizane and Emperor Ōjin (Hondawake no Mikoto) as auxiliary deities, offering blessings for academic success, protection from misfortune, and martial fortune.
Miyoshino Shrine is most famous for its connection to the nursery rhyme “Tōryanse.” After Kawagoe Castle was built, the shrine became part of the inner castle compound, known as Tenjin Kuruwa or “Castle Tenjin.” Ordinary townspeople wishing to worship had to pass through strict inspections and were only permitted to enter at certain times. It is said that while entering the castle was easy (“Iki wa yoi yoi”), leaving it required careful questioning (“Kaeri wa kowai”), a tension that inspired the lyrics of “Tōryanse.” The song, once sung by castle children, spread throughout Edo and later across Japan.
Today, the shrine precincts preserve numerous cultural and natural treasures. Among them are the illustrated scroll “Miyoshino Tenjin Engi” (composed by Hayashi Razan and dedicated by Matsudaira Nobutsuna), a bronze fan-shaped plaque, and ritual swords — all designated Cultural Properties of Saitama Prefecture. The “Hatsukari no Sugi” (First Wild Goose Cedar) and the “Monument of the Nursery Rhyme’s Origin” within the grounds symbolize the shrine’s enduring role as both a spiritual sanctuary and a cradle of cultural heritage.
