Minami Inari Jinja (南稲荷神社) and the Minami Inari Association's Zenwan-gura in Kumagawa (熊川の南稲荷講膳椀倉)

Minami Inari Jinja

Minami Inari Jinja (南稲荷神社) is a Shinto shrine located in the Kumagawa area of Fussa, Tokyo, just across the road from the Ishikawa Brewery.

The red torii and the zelkova tree

Standing beside the red torii (shrine gate) is a large zelkova tree, designated as a natural monument by Fussa City.

Near the shrine entrance is a kura, a traditional Japanese warehouse, which serves as a zenwan-gura (膳椀倉) — a warehouse for zenwan (膳椀), or ceremonial tableware. These items are used for special occasions such as weddings, funerals, and memorial services, and include: lacquerware such as trays, bowls, plates, hot water buckets, sake cups, and square sake barrels; porcelain items like teacups, small cups, and hibachi; and woodenware such as kiridame, containers used to serve boiled udon noodles.

These ceremonies were held in private homes. However, because storing large quantities of zenwan was difficult for individuals, zenwan-gura were built to house these communal items and were shared among local residents. These zenwan-gura began to appear between the late Edo period (1603–1868) and the early Meiji period (1868–1912) and, in Tokyo, spread throughout the Tama area.

From the late Showa period (1926–1989), the use of zenwan-gura declined due to changes in lifestyle and the rise of dedicated wedding and funeral halls. Many of these zenwan-gura have since disappeared.

This particular zenwan-gura is owned by Minami-Inari-kou (南稲荷講), or the Minami Inari Association, which is mentioned in a historical document dated 1800. It is managed by the Ishikawa family, historically the head family of the former Kumagawa Village.

Minami Inari Association's Zenwan-gura in Kumagawa

Today, both the zenwan and the zenwan-gura are designated as Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Tokyo.