Tokyo Shrines – A glimpse of the real Japan.

Shrine Number

弁財天社

Benzaiten-sha

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Osaka Prefecture is the head shrine of the 2,000 Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan. The three Sumiyoshi deities were worshipped as gods of navigation and purification.

Shrine Number

銀世界稲荷神社

Ginsekai Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

It is considered good luck to dedicate an ema (votive tablet) to the left side of the shrine, with the horse facing to the left.

Shrine Number

浅間神社

Asama Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Of all the Shinto shrines in Japan, about 20,000 are manned, and one priest often serves several shrines at the same time.

Shrine Number

月見岡八幡神社

Tsukimigaoka-hachiman Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Komainu are the guardian animals of shrines. They are placed in pairs on the left and right, with the mouths of each pair representing the "A" and "Un" forms.

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

宮比神社

Miyabi Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The head shrine of the Inari Shrines, said to number more than 30,000 throughout Japan, is the Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, founded in 711.

Shrine Number

柳稲荷大明神

Yanagi Inari Daimyojin

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Ookunitama Shrine is located in Fuchu City, Tokyo, and is the head shrine enshrining from the first to the sixth shrines of Musashi Province.

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

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

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

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

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

新栄稲荷神社

Shinei Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The highest shrine in Japan is Mt. Fuji Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Shrine Number

西向天神社

Nishimukiten Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Originally white in color, torii gates are said to have been painted red to ward off evil spirits in Buddhism as a result of the syncretization of Shintoism and Buddhism.

Shrine Number

市谷亀岡八幡宮

Ichigaya-kameoka Hachimangu

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Visitors are required to stop in front of the torii gate and bow before passing through.

Shrine Number

宝禄稲荷神社

Houroku Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Miko (shrine maidens) originally played a central role in Shinto, performing kagura (Shinto music and dance), praying, divination, and micturition.

Shrine Number

成子天神社

Narukoten Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Since Shinto originally originated from nature worship, the objects of worship are so numerous that they are said to be "eight million gods.

Shrine Number

桃祖神社

Momoso Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

After the Meiji Restoration, the Meiji government established a modern shrine ranking system based on the Engi-shiki.

Shrine Number

胡桃下稲荷社

Kurumigashita Inari Sha

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The deity of Izumo-taisha Shrine is Okuninushi no Mikoto, the hero of the myth "Inaba no Shirohare (White Rabbit of Inaba). He is also known as Daikoku-sama, one of the seven gods of good fortune.

Shrine Number

金丸稲荷神社

Kanemaru Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Dendenmangu Shrine at Horinji Temple in Arashiyama, Kyoto, enshrines Denden Myojin, the god of electricity and radio waves, and is visited by people in the TV and IT industries.

Shrine Number

天日鷲神社

Ameno-hiwashinokami Shrine

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

Shusse Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, a scholar and politician of the Heian period. There are approximately 12,000 Tenmangu shrines and Sugawara shrines throughout Japan.

Shrine Number

花園神社

Hnazono Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

A shrine is a place where Shinto deities are enshrined.

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

水稲荷神社

Mizu Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Suwa Shrine is the head shrine of Suwa-taisha in Nagano Prefecture, and there are approximately 5,000 Suwa shrines throughout the country, with Kenmonakata no Kami as the main deity.

Shrine Number

鳴子稲荷神社

Naruko Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The shrine with the largest site area in Japan is Meiji Jingu Shrine. It has a total area of 700,000 m2.

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

大神宮

Dai-jingu

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The highest shrine in Tokyo's 23 wards is the Tower Grand Shrine on the 2nd floor of the Tokyo Tower Grand Observatory.

Shrine Number

赤城神社

Akagi Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

There are approximately 81,000 shrines throughout Japan (Agency for Cultural Affairs, 2016).