A Journey to Meet the Rice Field Gods: The Roots of Japan~ Kirishima shrine festival
A great revolution once took place in Japan that transformed society as a whole. That revolution was the introduction of rice cultivation. Rice became the standard by which people measured their wealth. The wealthy were those who could afford to eat rice. For a long time, Japan was a feudal society, and rice production served as a measure of the power of local lords. It was not until the mid-19th century that rice ceased to be the standard.
Naturally, people have always held the god of rice cultivation in the highest regard and loved him dearly. This god is known as “Inari”. As a result, there are countless shrines named Inari throughout Japan. The most famous of these is Fushimi Inari in Kyoto.
Surprisingly, however, there are very few deities dedicated specifically to rice paddies. Kagoshima Prefecture is one of the few places where such a deity exists—in fact, it’s the only place where it can be found. What kind of being is this deity of the rice paddies? We set out to find the answer at Kirishima 霧島Jingu, Kagoshima’s central shrine.
Date ：The 4th day of the 2nd month of the lunar calendar
Location ：2608-5 Kirishima-Taguchi, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture
Access ：Access bus from Kagoshima Airport to Kirishima Shrine: Departs at 9:30 a.m., arrives at 10:15 a.m. (as of 2026) or
From Kagoshima Chuo Station to Kirishima Jingu Station (Limited Express Kirishima), then by bus or taxi. It is about 6 kilometers from the station to the shrine.
This article is based on 22th, March, 2026
Kirishima Jingu is quite a long way off
Kagoshima Prefecture is the southernmost point of Japan, excluding Okinawa. For example, from Tokyo, it takes two hours by plane plus 30 minutes by bus. By Shinkansen, it takes six and a half hours. But that’s not the end of it. It takes about an hour by limited express train from downtown Kagoshima to Kirishima-Jingu Station. Don’t be fooled by the station name—it’s still another 6 kilometers from there.
You’ll need to take a bus or a taxi, but keep in mind that the train and bus schedules don’t always connect seamlessly. Fortunately, there’s a bus at 9:51, so I’ll make it in time (as of 2026).
According to the information the author researched in advance, the Shinto ceremony was set to begin at 10:00 a.m. and the main event at 11:00 a.m., so I arrived a little after 10:00 a.m.
However, even though it’s early morning, there’s already a line of visitors. It certainly lives up to its reputation as one of Kyushu’s most famous shrines (and a power spot).
kirishima shrine https://www.kagoshima-kankou.com/for/attractions/10113
A cow welcomes you
You can’t enter the venue until the Shinto ceremony is over. Think that’s a waste of time? Not at all—they’ve got that covered.
A cow will greet you. This is the cow that will appear in the farming ceremony to be held later.
The ceremony begins
When the time comes, the barriers blocking access to the plaza behind the main hall are removed, and visitors are allowed to enter.
First, two groups carrying large trees run around the venue, led by oxen.
Afterward, they scatter the leaves from the trees all around. This is meant to represent a rice paddy.
The farmers appear
Here comes a farmer and his wife. They are about to start plowing the field.
They plow the fields by having oxen pull farm implements. This is the very same rural landscape that could once be seen throughout Japan. Just 100 years ago, this is what it was like everywhere in Japan. Or maybe that was true not just in Japan, but all over the world.
First, they have the ox pull the plow to begin plowing the field. However, this ox is a real handful. It suddenly starts running, comes to a complete standstill, or sometimes even charges toward the spectators. In short, it’s completely out of control. This is where the cow takes center stage.
“Grandma, this cow won’t listen to me. Isn’t she over there?”
“My, what a troublesome cow!”
The dialogue between the two characters, as well as the lines spoken by the Rice Field God who appears later, are all in the Kagoshima dialect. For this reason, a handout (in Japanese) explaining the general meaning of what they are saying is distributed—though you can generally understand the essentials even without it. Eventually, the two exit the stage while patting their waists.
“Hey, I’m heading back now. I’ll make some tea, so come back soon, okay?” As they say this, they both exit the stage.
And now, today’s star, the god of the Fields, finally makes his appearance.
The god of the Fields makes his entrance—not in a grand manner, but slowly and quietly—and stands there with giving impression of broad mind.
He wears shabby clothes and holds a large rice paddle and a bell in his hands.
Then he delivers his speech in a very strong Kagoshima dialect.
“Well, today is the Rice Planting Festival at Kirishima Shrine, so I got invited and came out.”
He says something along those lines.
He explained the origin of the rice paddle he was holding, described his own appearance, and said something along the lines of, “If everyone works hard starting early in the morning, we’ll get a bountiful rice harvest.”
This god has a friendly face and speaks with a thick dialect. Just look at him, and you’ll understand. Even though he’s a god, people’s small, everyday wishes gave birth to the god of the rice fields.
This god is not a god who guides. He is a god who accompanies.
Commemorative Photo
Each part lasts about 20 minutes. With a priest’s ceremony and other events interspersed throughout, the event ends shortly after 11:30.
After that, the characters will all gather at the entrance to pose for a commemorative photo.
Don’t you think this sculpture has a certain warmth that makes you readily accept that this is what the “God of the Rice Fields” is supposed to be, while also conveying a sense of vast, boundless expanse?
Ending
After that, the author took the bus again to the station, waited an hour, and then took the limited express back to downtown Kagoshima.
Actually, if you’ve made it all the way to Kagoshima City and Kirishima Shrine, there’s a place this sight really want you to visit. It’s a place where you can gain a deeper understanding of the rice field deities. Unfortunately, however, we’ve run out of space here. Please check out the next article for more.
cf. https://discoverdeeperjapan.com/2026/06/21/two-must-see-2museums-when-visiting-kagoshima/
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