S P O T ／ SPOT-226

Castella Shrine (Kasutera Jinja)

カステラ神社かすてらじんじゃ

Castella Shrine is a small novelty shrine tucked inside the souvenir shop "Mominoki Core" along Glover Street in the Minamiyamate district of Nagasaki. It enshrines "Castella Daimyojin," a deity modeled on Nagasaki's famous sponge cake, castella, and is said to grant blessings for love and romantic fulfillment. Although it features a red torii gate, an offering box, a shrine pavilion, and items such as ema plaques, charms, and fortune slips, it is not a registered religious institution but a playful "indie" shrine created by the shop itself. Sitting on the slope leading to Glover Garden and Oura Cathedral, it is a popular stop for sightseers. The whimsical deity, depicted lifting its own roof, embodies the lighthearted spirit of a commercial space. Castella itself was introduced to Nagasaki by the Portuguese in the 16th century and has since become a signature local confection, making this shrine a charming example of regional food culture reimagined as a quirky tourist attraction. It was relocated to the back of the shop around 2017 following a renovation of the hotel building that houses it.