Tokyo Shrines – A glimpse of the real Japan.

Shrine Number

西早稲田天祖神社

Nishi-waseda-tenso Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The Outer Shrine, officially named Toyoke Grand Shrine, enshrines the deity Toyoke, the patron god of agriculture, industry, food, clothing, and shelter.

Shrine Number

Ise Jingu is the collective name for 125 shrines, centering on the Inner and Outer Shrines, and consisting of 14 annexes of the two shrines, as well as regent shrines, subordinate shrines, and shrines under jurisdiction.

Shrine Number

笑福稲荷神社

Warafuku Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The Tokyo Gosha are Meiji Shrine, Yasukuni Shrine, Hie Shrine, Okunitama Shrine, and Tokyo Daijingu Shrine, which are considered historically prestigious among the approximately 1,800 shrines in Tokyo.

Shrine Number

稲荷大明神

Inari Daimyojin

Shinjuku, Tokyo

In 1946, GHQ abolished the system of shrine ranks, but the concept of shrine rank itself still exists today.

Shrine Number

中井御霊神社

Nakai-goryo Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The presidency of the Honcho has been held by a female member of the Imperial Family for generations, and it is customary for the president to also serve as the chief priestess of Ise Jingu Shrine.

Shrine Number

鮫ヶ橋せきとめ稲荷

Samegahashi-sekidome Inari

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The only shrine in Japan dedicated to the god of weather is located in the Koenji Hikawa Shrine in Tokyo, and many visitors come to pray for clear skies and success in the meteorologist exam.

Shrine Number

神楽坂若宮八幡神社

Kagurazaka-wakamiya-hachiman Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The Honcho is the umbrella organization for all Shinto shrines in Japan, and each prefectural government has its own Shinto Shrine Agency as a local branch.

Shrine Number

鎧神社

Yoroi Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The hall of worship is the place where rituals and worship services are held, and in some cases also serves as a dance hall, kaguraden, and shrine office. Some shrines, including Ise Jingu, do not have a hall of worship.

Shrine Number

出世稲荷神社

Shusse Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Since the center of the torii gate and the approach to the shrine is considered to be the path of the gods, it is customary to pass by either side of the gate.

Shrine Number

音羽今宮神社

Otowaimamiya Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Gohage Shrine in Kyoto enshrines the god of hair. It is said that offering cut hair to the shrine brings blessings related to hair.

Shrine Number

雷電稲荷神社

Raiden Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

There are various theories as to the origin of the torii, such as that the perch of a bird was placed in front of the shrine in reference to the "everlasting long-nesting bird" that appeared in the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) to lure Amaterasu out of Ama-no-Omikami (Amaterasu) from the Ama-no-Iwato.

Shrine Number

牛込柳町天祖神社

Ushigome-yanagicho-tenso Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

There are more than 2,000 single shrines that do not belong to the Honcho, including Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Meiji Shrine, Yasukuni Shrine, and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine.

Shrine Number

稲荷神社

Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Tokyo Daijingu Shrine was built as the far shrine of Ise Jingu Shrine. It is the "birthplace of the Shinto wedding ceremony" where Emperor Taisho performed the first Shinto wedding ceremony, and is very popular as a shrine with benefits for marriage.

Shrine Number

於岩稲荷田宮神社

Oiwa Inari Tamiya Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The torii is the boundary between the secular world of human habitation and the Shinto realm, and serves as a gateway to the Shinto realm.

Shrine Number

赤城出世稲荷神社

Akagi-shusse Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The ranking of shrines in terms of the number of Hatsumode worshippers is Fushimi Inari Taisha in second place, Sumiyoshi Taisha in third place, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu in fourth place, and Atsuta Jingu in fifth place.

Shrine Number

天日鷲神社

Ameno-hiwashinokami Shrine

Shrine Number

金辯財天

Konben Zaiten

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Kanda Myojin is the general guardian deity of 108 town councils in central Tokyo, and its benefits include prosperous business, prosperity of the company, protection from disaster and misfortune, healing from illness, and marriage. It is also famous for the Kanda Festival, one of the three major festivals in Japan.

Shrine Number

神武天皇遥拝所

place of worship for the emperor Jinmu

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The head shrine of Hachiman worship, of which there are said to be more than 25,000 throughout Japan, is Usa Jingu Shrine in Oita Prefecture, which was built in 725.

Shrine Number

花園神社

Hnazono Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

A shrine is a place where Shinto deities are enshrined.

Shrine Number

高木神社

Takagi Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The custom of worship at Izumo-taisha is "Ni-hai (two worships, four claps, one bow, and one bow). In addition, during the annual festival in May, the worshippers bow with eight beats of the hand.

Shrine Number

稲荷社

Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Ise Jingu" is a common name, and its official name is "Jingu.

Shrine Number

十二社弁財天

Junisha Benzaiten

Shinjuku, Tokyo

About 90% of the site area of Ise Jingu Shrine is forest, which accounts for about one-sixth of the total area of Ise City.

Shrine Number

十二社熊野神社

Juniso-kumano Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The gojintai, the central object of a shrine, is also called "yoriyoshiro," and the place or object where the deity dwells varies from shrine to shrine.

Shrine Number

新栄稲荷大明神

Shin-ei Inari Daimyojin

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The month of October on the lunar calendar is said to be the month when all the gods from all over Japan gather in Izumo for their divine assemblies, and is generally referred to as "Kanashizuki," while in Izumo it is called "Kanzai-zuki.

Shrine Number

筑土八幡神社

Tsukudo-hachiman Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The meaning of the tama gravel on the approach to shrines is that "tama" is the same as "tama" in the word "mitama," meaning beautiful, and that it is spread to keep the sacred place clean.

Shrine Number

田安鎮護稲荷神社

Tayasu-chingo Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

It is a basic rule to visit the Outer Shrine and then the Inner Shrine in that order.

Shrine Number

大京神社

Daikyo Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The professional staff who serve at shrines are called "priests. The term "priest" is also used to refer to the Shinto priesthood in general.

Shrine Number

富受稲荷大明神

Tomiuke Inari Daimyojin

Shinjuku, Tokyo

In principle, ichinomiya was granted to one shrine in one country, but there are cases where there are multiple ichinomiya in one country due to a battle for shrine status.

Shrine Number

御嶽神社

Mitake Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The deity of Hiyoshi Shrine, Hie Shrine, and Sanno Shrine, which have about 3,800 shrines throughout Japan, is Oyakui, also known as "Hiyoshi God" or "Sanno Gongen. The deity is also the head deity of the Matsuo faith, which has Matsuo Taisha Shrine in Kyoto as its head shrine.

Shrine Number

北野神社

Kitano Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

More than 1,500 rituals are held annually at Ise Jingu.