World’s First Shrine for Stuffed Animals Opens in Kyoto

Jun 23, 2026 | News On Japan

KYOTO - A shrine believed to be the world’s first dedicated to stuffed animals was established on June 20 in Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture, giving owners a place to express gratitude for beloved plush toys and hold memorial rites for those that have finished their role.

The new Nuigurumi Shrine opened in Miyama, a district of Nantan, with a wooden torii gate fitted with ears and worship hall windows shaped like bears.

The shrine was created by a company that repairs stuffed animals. With some plush toys eventually reaching a point where repairs are no longer possible, the company said it wanted to create a place where owners could give thanks to the stuffed animals that had supported them over the years.

Visitors can bring their favorite stuffed animals to pray at the shrine, while plush toys that have completed their role can be memorialized there.

"I hope people of all ages, from children to adults, will visit and that together we can nurture a warm spirit of kindness and compassion," said Komichi Horiguchi, who led the creation of the shrine.

People visiting the shrine with stuffed animals in hand said the site felt approachable despite being a shrine. "It has become a place that is easy to feel close to," one woman said. "I think it is a place that soothes the heart."

The shrine also plans to build a dedicated facility to store the ashes of stuffed animals after memorial burning rites, a plush-toy version of an ossuary.

ぬいぐるみを祀る世界初の神社が京都に創建

ぬいぐるみを祀る神社としては世界初とみられる「ぬいぐるみ神社」が6月20日、京都府南丹市に創建され、持ち主が大切なぬいぐるみに感謝の気持ちを伝えたり、役目を終えたぬいぐるみを供養したりできる場となっている。

全球首座供奉毛绒玩具的神社在京都建成

一座被认为是全球首个供奉毛绒玩具的神社于6月20日在京都府南丹市建成，为主人提供一个向心爱的毛绒玩具表达感谢，并为完成使命的毛绒玩具举行供养仪式的场所。

Source: MBS

Osaka’s Minami Rebuilt Into Tourist Hub

Osaka’s Minami district, now entering another period of major change with the planned opening of the Naniwasuji Line, the redevelopment of Midosuji and improvements around Nankai Namba Station, has transformed from an area once described as "scary" and "dirty" into one of Japan’s leading tourist destinations.

Crowds Join First Pull of 10-Ton Gion Festival Float

A 10-ton hoko float was pulled through central Kyoto on July 12 in a trial run ahead of the Yamahoko Junko procession during the Gion Festival's early parade.

Young Doctors Flock to Cosmetic Medicine

A growing number of young doctors in Japan are moving directly into cosmetic medicine after obtaining a medical license and completing their initial clinical training, raising concern that the trend may be worsening staff shortages in insurance-covered medical care.

Typhoon No. 9 Travel Disruptions Continue on Some Okinawa Routes

Transport disruption from Typhoon No. 9 (Bavi) continued on July 12, with airlines warning that some flights serving Okinawa’s outlying islands could still face delays, cancellations or conditional operations even after the storm moved away from the prefecture.

JAXA Successfully Lands Reusable Rocket Test Vehicle

JAXA successfully landed a small experimental vehicle for a reusable rocket on July 11, marking a step toward technology that could increase the frequency of space launches while helping reduce costs.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Nature Reclaims Aging Hokkaido Arch Bridge

An abandoned concrete arch bridge deep in the forests of Kamishihoro in Hokkaido's Tokachi region is slowly being reclaimed by nature, its exposed reinforcing bars and weeds marking the passage of time.

Typhoon No. 9 to Merge With Rainy Season Front

Large Typhoon No. 9 (Bavi) was over central China at 9 p.m. on July 12 and moving north-northwest, with the storm expected to weaken as it continues northwest before turning into an extratropical cyclone that will merge with the rainy season front and bring rain mainly to areas along the Sea of Japan coast.

Bear Sightings Surge With 50 Cases in Iwate in One Week

A wave of bear sightings across Japan has forced the cancellation of traditional summer events, while one animal entered a home and came within inches of a sleeping resident's face.

Nara's Deer Population Runs Wild

Large numbers of deer are appearing in residential neighborhoods around Nara, raising concerns over traffic accidents, crop damage and the spread of ticks and fleas as the animals move farther beyond Nara Park in search of food.

Hokuriku Shinkansen Osaka Extension Narrowed to Obama-Kyoto and Maibara Routes

Plans to extend the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture to Shin-Osaka have been narrowed from eight proposals to two main options, the Obama-Kyoto route and the Maibara route, as concerns grow over construction costs and the potential impact on Kyoto's groundwater and cultural heritage.