A child ran through the narrow approach to the birthplace of the children's tune 'Toryanse'

Child running on the approach to Miyoshino Jinja Shrine

Kawagoe Castle, which once had vast grounds, no longer exists except for a portion of the Honmaru Goten. The area that used to be the castle's second kuruwa is now a museum and art gallery, and the third kuruwa is now a high school. If anything, the name of the town, Kuruwa-machi, is a remnant of the old castle.

The Miyoshino Jinja Shrine, which once stood on the grounds of Kawagoe Castle, can be visited by anyone now that the castle is gone. Although it sits quietly by the side of the baseball field and at first glance appears to be a simple, ubiquitous shrine, the history of this Miyoshino Shrine is venerable. The existing shrine pavilion was built in 1624 by order of the third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu. Although it is hard to tell from just looking at the small shrine pavilions, this was a directly managed shrine of the shogunate.

I walked on the long and narrow approach toward the bright red shrine pavilion. The approach is flanked by children's parks, making it hard to believe that this is a shrine with a time-honored history. Furthermore, there is a theory that this approach to the shrine is the birthplace of the children's tune "Toryanse," so a short stroll around the shrine reveals that the world is full of wonders.

According to the theory of the origin of Miyoshino Jinja Shrine, the lyrics of the song "Toryanse" mean as follows. When the shrine, which existed before Kawagoe Castle was built, was turned into the castle grounds due to the construction of the castle, the general public was no longer allowed to visit the shrine, the lyrics of the song "Toryanse" (please pass through) means to allow people to visit the shrine at special times. The lyrics, "It's good to go, but it's scary to come back," are said to have been composed to prevent worshippers from leaving the castle with confidential information.

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