Katori Jingū Treasure House

Katori Jingū is a shrine in Katori City, Chiba Prefecture, that enshrines Futsunushi-no-Ōkami, a warrior deity. Together with Kashima Jingū in Ibaraki Prefecture, it has been revered since ancient times as “Kashima and Katori,” the highest object of veneration for warriors and martial artists. Katori Jingū holds more than 200 treasures and cultural properties, counting only those of prefectural designation or higher, and has displayed some of them in its treasure house.

The greatest reason Katori Jingū holds a distinguished place in Japanese sword culture is its inseparable connection to the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū. This school was founded in the mid-Muromachi period by Iizasa Chōisai Ienao and is considered one of the oldest sword schools still in existence, and the source of many later schools of swordsmanship. The grave of its founder, Iizasa Chōisai, lies near the precincts of Katori Jingū.

The treasure house holds the National Treasure Kaijū Budō mirror, the Important Cultural Properties Sōryū mirror and Ko-Seto yellow-glazed komainu, and ancient sacred treasures designated by Chiba Prefecture, including a tachi inscribed Toshitsune. The treasure house has been closed since October 2023 for renovation work, and the reopening date has not been decided.

The majestic main shrine and precincts rise within a deep forest between the Tone River and the Suigō wetlands. They convey to visitors the dignity of a sacred place of martial arts. It is a representative sword-related sacred site of Chiba Prefecture, where one can experience both the history of swordsmanship and the culture of offering swords to the shrine.