A heartwarming way to say thank you to the plush toys you have loved, and who have loved you in return. 

A unique new shrine held its founding ceremony in Japan on 20 June, and attendance wasn’t limited to people, as plush toys were warmly welcomed too. That’s because the shrine is dedicated to plush toys, serving as a place where visitors can pray with their favourite stuffed companions, and even hold ceremonial services for them when they reach the end of their lives.

Known as “Nuigurumi Jinja”, which literally translates as “Plush Toy Shrine”, this sacred site was created under the direction of Komichi Horiguchi, founder of the Osaka-based plush toy repair service Nuigurumi Byoin (Plush Toy Hospital), which has cared for more than 26,000 stuffed toys. The shrine is intended as place of worship and a resting place for plushies, especially those that are beyond repair or whose owners have died, according to the belief that stuffed animals contain a life force and should be cared for, repaired, and respectfully farewelled.

Located in the forested Miyama area of Nantan City in Kyoto Prefecture, the shrine is rooted in the notion that forests, rivers, animals, people, ancestors, and even plush toys are all connected. Its organic design, featuring wooden structures and a thatched roof, conveys the idea that the site is at one with this natural world.

▼ The shrine can be seen in this founding ceremony coverage.

With cute details like a bear-shaped window in the worship hall and a torii gate with bear-shaped ears at the entrance, the unique atmosphere makes it feel like a forest sanctuary for furry creatures.

However, it’s also a recognised religious site, with traditional Shinto rituals carried out in connection with the project, including preparatory ceremonies leading up to its formal establishment, as well as a “mitama-wake no shinji” (spirit division ritual) held on 18 April at Kyoto’s Reimei Shrine as part of the enshrinement process.

Unlike other sacred sites, which tend to display statues of gods and deities on the grounds as protective forces, this shrine features a cast of plush toys who serve to connect the human world with the surrounding “Forest of Life”, which is said to be under their care. Led by a Peach Fairy called Milda, a kind and caring caretaker, and King Puffty, a courageous polar bear-like guardian, these residents help to guide plush toys from the human world into the next realm, so they can become one with the natural environment while under their protection.

Dedicated facilities for ceremonial burnings and a resting place for ashes are planned for the site, creating a memorial space where visitors can seek comfort and pay their respects. Rather than being a place for sad farewells, though, the shrine aims to switch the focus to a sense of gratitude, where people of all ages can say “thank you” to the toys they have loved and who have loved them in return.

The shrine also offers amulets and goshuin stamps for visitors, along with a “words of gratitude” offering service, where written messages are placed in an offertory box to be delivered to the gods by a Shinto priest on an auspicious day.

Following the founding ceremony, the shrine will continue final preparations before officially welcoming visitors from 7 July, which coincides with Tanabata, the traditional Japanese Star Festival. It’s a fitting date for the opening, because just like the celestial meeting of two deities at the centre of the festival, this shrine also fosters otherworldly connections, reminding us that the bonds that tie us can continue to live on past the physical realm.

Shrine information
Nuigurumi Jinja / ぬいぐるみ神社
Address: Kyoto-fu, Nantan-shi, Miyama-cho, Tagata, Gobatani 11-8 
京都府南丹市美山町字田歌字五波谷11-8
Website

Sources: Nuigurumi Jinja, TBS via Yahoo! News Japan
Featured image: Nuigurumi Jinja
Insert images: Nuigurumi Jinja (1, 2, 3, 4)
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