Background of the Establishment of Shinrakucha Shrine and the Grand Torii
The idea of building a shrine in Si Racha began when I was appointed as the chairman of the Si Racha Japan Festival, organized by the Chonburi-Rayong Japanese Association. My motivation was to introduce traditional Japanese festivals to the people of Thailand.
In Japanese festivals, it is believed that by carrying a mikoshi (portable shrine) from a shrine and parading it through the streets, the gods bestow their blessings upon the community. The mikoshi is considered a sacred vehicle of the gods. To conduct an authentic mikoshi procession at the Si Racha Japan Festival, it was essential to establish a shrine to enshrine the deity.
At that time, I was considering purchasing land and constructing a new office building. Inspired by a shrine in Ginza, Tokyo, I decided to build a shrine on both the rooftop and the first floor of the building. This was at the end of 2019.
Although the location was decided, I had no expertise in shrine construction and felt at a loss. I consulted with Chief Priest Kanie, who had established a shrine in Kanchanaburi Province. Despite repeatedly considering abandoning the project due to the prolonged economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we successfully held the establishment ceremony of Shinrakucha Shrine in July 2022, marking the 135th anniversary of Japan–Thailand diplomatic relations.
The ceremony was attended by many distinguished guests, including:
The entire cost of constructing the shrine was fully covered by donations from myself and my company, Masa Japan Co., Ltd.
Shinto is Japan’s indigenous religion with over 2,000 years of history, deeply embedded in Japanese culture and daily life. Shrines are sacred places where Shinto deities are enshrined, and it is said that there are approximately 88,000 shrines in Japan.
In Thailand, there are currently two shrines:
At Shinrakucha Shrine, approximately 2,000 Japanese people visit during the New Year period, and about 100 Thai visitors come every weekend.
The shrine serves as:
It offers prayers for:
The Grand Torii Gate, relocated in August 2024 to the Saint Paul Sukhumvit intersection in Si Racha, was originally constructed during the Chonburi Songkran Parade held in April of the same year.
The torii was built near the Chonburi Provincial Hall, the parade’s final destination, to commemorate:
The project was carried out in cooperation with the Si Racha District.
The Songkran Parade is a grand event where 11 municipalities of Chonburi Province each participate with around 300 people. Since establishing the shrine, we have been invited every year by the Si Racha District to participate. Together with Japanese volunteers and Thai participants, we carry the mikoshi during the parade.
While participating as part of the Si Racha team, I always felt deep gratitude toward the district and continuously thought about how to express Japan–Thailand friendship and Japanese culture through the parade.
At that time, I received a suggestion from two deputy district chiefs to build a torii gate at the parade’s endpoint. This led to the launch of the torii project as a landmark symbolizing Japan–Thailand friendship.
After the parade, the district chief submitted the construction request to the subdistrict office. The torii design was modified and structurally reinforced, and we obtained legal construction approval. It was then successfully relocated to public land in Si Racha.
At the ceremony held on August 9, 2024, two Shinto priests came from Japan, and distinguished guests attended, including:
A torii gate is not only an entrance to a shrine but also serves as a boundary that prevents impurities from entering sacred space. Its red color is traditionally believed in Japan to ward off evil and symbolize vitality.
This torii was built with wishes for:
Si Racha has one of the highest densities of Japanese residents in the world and is the second-largest Japanese community in Thailand.
I sincerely hope that Shinrakucha Shrine and this Grand Torii Gate will become symbolic landmarks of friendship between Thailand and Japan.
Personally, I intend to spend my life in Thailand. I am deeply grateful to the many predecessors from both countries whose efforts have led to 137 years of Japan–Thailand friendship. Moving forward, I will continue to contribute, even in small ways, to the development of Si Racha, Chonburi, and Thailand, and to the strengthening of ties between our two nations.
Shinrakucha Shrine
Representative
Masahiro Abe
