Ichinomiya Nukisaki Shrine

**Arrive at the top gate first.** The effect only works in the intended order: up the approach, through the gate on the ridge, and then down. If you park at the lower side entrance you will walk into the buildings at their own level and miss the whole point. **Light in the hollow is short.** Because the compound sits below the surrounding ground, direct sun reaches the carved fronts for a limited window in the middle of the day. Mid-morning to early afternoon is when the lacquer and gilding actually read; late afternoon it falls into shade early. **Combine with the silk mill.** Tomioka Silk Mill is about 15 minutes away by car and the two are usually done as a pair. The shrine takes under an hour, so it fits either side of the mill without stretching the day. **Getting there without a car is easy.** The Joshin Line from Takasaki is a small two-car private railway and Joshu-Ichinomiya is a ten-minute walk from the approach. Services are infrequent — check the return time before you set off rather than after. **Grounds are free; there is nothing to buy your way into.** Bring small coins for the offertory box and, if you collect them, for a goshuin seal at the office, which keeps shorter hours than the gate.