Koromo-jinja Shrine
Koromo-jinja Shrine is famous for holding the Koromo Festival. Known as “Komori Daimyojin” (patron deity of children) in the Edo period, it still welcomes many worshipers today who pray for their children to grow up healthy through the rituals called hatsumiya-mairi (a newborn’s first visit to a shrine) and shichigosan-mairi (shrine visits at age three, five, and seven). Since this a center of the auto industry, there are also many visitors who come to have their cars blessed for safety on the road. The precincts are large and spacious, and it is clear why it has earned such devoted worship since ancient times. During the Koromo Festival, the shrine’s main annual festival, beautiful mikoshi (portable shrines) are placed in the Mikoshi-den Hall, while in the prayer hall, there is dignified sacred kagura music and prayers, and a beautiful miko-mai (shrine maiden dance) is performed.
There are a number of theories regarding the founding of the shrine. It is generally recounted that while Minamoto no Yoshitsune’s retainer Suzuki Shigeyoshi (Zenami) was traveling to Yoshitsune in Oshu in 1189, he learned the Yoshitsune had died and decided to stop here. It was later dedicated to the deity Komori Myojin, which was transferred from Yoshino, Yamato Province. Revered by the lords of the Koromo Domain for generations, Koromo-jinja Shrine became the center of worship among the common people in this region. Be sure to take the opportunity to visit.
Annual Events
Koromo Festival (Koromo Matsuri) (third Sunday of October and the Saturday before)
Ever year, the main festival is held on the third Sunday of the month, while a pre-event is held on the preceding Saturday. Highlights include watching dashi parade floats parade around town as confetti dances in the air, the shichido-mairi (a procession that passes the shrine 7 times), and the gathering of the dashi at the shrine. Carried on from the late Edo period to the present, this is one of the Mikawa area’s foremost festivals.
Grass Ring Purification Ritual (Chinowa-Kuguri) (July)
A traditional ritual called chinowa-kuguri (passing through a large ring made of woven grass) is performed. Chinowa-kuguri is a ritual to pray for the purification of body and spirit. Participants are blessed with a ceremonial instrument made from reeds, and legend says that those who pass through the ring of woven grass will be purified of sins and impurity from the past year, granting sound health for the year and a happy and healthy summer.
Basic Information
Address | 〒471-0023 5-1 Koromo-cho, Toyota City |
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Fee | Free admission |
Opening days / hours | Open all day |
Holidays | Open every day |
Access by Public Transportation | [From Nagoya] • From Higashiyama Subway Line Nagoya Sta., transfer at Fushimi Sta. to the Tsurumai Subway Line, then transfer to the Meitetsu Toyota Line at the shared Akaike Sta., alight at Meitetsu Toyota-shi Sta. and continue on foot for 10 min. • From Meitetsu Nagoya Sta., transfer at Chiryu Sta. to the Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line, alight at Meitetsu Toyota-shi Sta. and continue on foot for 10 min. • From JR Nagoya Station, transfer at Kozoji Sta. to the JR Chuo Main Line, alight at Aichi Loop Railway Shin-Toyota Sta. and continue on foot for 10 min. |
Access by car | 15 min. from the Tomei Expressway Toyota Interchange via National Route 155 and 153 |