kango jinja 漢國神社

My kingdom for a manju!

Let yourself be told the story of Join Rin, a confectioner of Chinese origin who arrived in Nara in 1349 and whose destiny was completely changed thanks to the extraordinary powers of his manjû .

A romantic fresco

If you don't pay attention, you can easily walk past the Kango jinja compound without realizing it. Although it is located in downtown Nara, this discreet Shinto shrine can only count on its vermilion torii at the edge of the alley to attract the eye and arouse the curiosity of passers-by. However, the Kango jinja contains an extraordinary saga ... The sanctuary shelters within its walls a very small temple, the Rin jinja , dedicated to the manjûs, one of the most appreciated traditional sweets of the archipelago and to their creator whose destiny beyond the norm does not have to be ashamed of the comparison with the greatest romantic frescoes.

 

Kango_jinja_Torii_Nara

Locate the torii between the alleys to access the Kangō jinja

Kochizufan

Kohaku manju

On her wedding day, to celebrate her happiness, Join Rin offers the assembly red and white manjû specially made for the occasion. By this gesture, he gave birth to a custom that is still current today. During wedding ceremonies, we continue to taste kôhaku manjû (a red manjû and a white manjû ) to ensure the happiness and longevity of our union. At the end of the ceremony, the confectioner would even have buried a pair of kôhaku manjû next to the altar of Rin jinja. Protected and sealed forever by a round stone, these manju brought prosperity to the couple and their descendants.

 

tumulus-manju-rin-jinja

The manjū burial mound at Rin jinja

Kochizufan


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Our activities in Nara

  • Duration : 8 hour
  • Location : Nara
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Our tours in Nara

  • Duration : 13 days
  • Locations : Tokyo, Hakone Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Miyajima
  • Included : Visits & meals, English-speaking tour leader, Hotel temple, 3*/4* Hotels & Ryokan
  • Duration : 14 days
  • Locations : Tokyo, Hakone Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Nara, Koyasan, Osaka
  • Included : English-speaking tour leader, 3*/4* Hotels & Ryokan, Hotel temple, Visits & meals
  • Duration : 12 days
  • Locations : Tokyo, Mt Fuji (Kawaguchiko), Osaka, Himeji, Kyoto, Nara
  • Included : English-speaking tour leader, 3* Hotels & Ryokan, Visits & meals
  • Duration : 12 days
  • Locations : Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kawaguchiko, Tokyo
  • Included : English-speaking tour leader, 3*/4* Hotels & Ryokan, Visits & meals
  • Duration : 21 days
  • Locations : Tokyo, Hakone Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Nara, Koyasan, Osaka, Kobe, Takachiho, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Miyajima
  • Included : English-speaking tour leader, 3*/4* Hotels & Ryokan, Hotel temple, Visits & meals
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