Shinto shrine
Katō Jinja
加藤神社（かとうじんじゃ）
Chūō Ward, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture
A shrine in the Honmaru (main enclosure) of Kumamoto Castle that enshrines as its principal deity Katō Kiyomasa, affectionately called “Seishoko-san.” Ōki Kaneyoshi, a retainer who died following Kiyomasa, and Kin Kan, a man from Korea who did the same, are enshrined alongside him.
English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む
Prayers associated with this place
Enshrined deity: Katō Kiyomasa (with Ōki Kaneyoshi and the Korean Kin Kan enshrined alongside)
History and things to know
According to the shrine's tradition, in Meiji 4 (1871), with the separation of Shinto and Buddhism, it was founded inside Kumamoto Castle as Nishikiyama Jinja, from the Jōchi-byō mausoleum of Honmyō-ji. With the establishment of the Kumamoto garrison it moved to Kyōmachi-dai; after rebuilding the shrine buildings that burned in the Seinan War, it was renamed Katō Jinja in Meiji 42 and returned to its present site inside the castle in Shōwa 37.
Introduced by this site, based on materials from the shrine or temple and public bodies.
Before you visit
There is a branch shrine at Amu Plaza Kumamoto at JR Kumamoto Station, but the main shrine is inside Kumamoto Castle.
Official website of the shrine or temple (may be in Japanese)
Sources (in Japanese)
- 加藤神社「御祭神・御本尊・由緒の公式案内」（2026-10-22 確認）
This site is independent of the shrines, temples, and other websites mentioned. No partnership or endorsement is implied.