Tokyo Shrines – A glimpse of the real Japan.

Shrine Number

水神宮

Sui Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The official name of the Inner Shrine is "Koutai Jingu," which enshrines the deity Amaterasu.

Shrine Number

於岩稲荷

Oiwa Inari

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Inari Shrine, Hachiman Shrine, and Tenmangu Shrine (Tenjin Shrine) are the three major Shinto shrines in Japan that have a particularly large number of affiliated shrines.

Shrine Number

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

高田氷川神社

Takada-hikawa Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Nakajima Shrine in Hyogo Prefecture enshrines Tamizumamori-no-mikoto, who is revered as the god of sweets.

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

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

新宿下落合氷川神社

Shinjuku-shimo-ochiai-hikawa Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The shrine grounds generally consist of a torii gate as the entrance to the shrine, a hand-watering basin, guardian dogs, a hall of worship, a main hall of worship, and regent shrines.

Shrine Number

市場稲荷神社

Shijo Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The oldest shrine in Japan is said to be the Ogami Shrine in Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture. Because Mt. Miwa itself is the deity, there is no temple, and only a hall of worship has been erected.

Shrine Number

清水川稲荷神社

Shimizu-gawa Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The Hachiman Shrine, affectionately known as "Hachiman-sama," is dedicated to Emperor Ojin (Honoritabetsumei). In the Middle Ages, he was worshipped by the warrior class as a warrior god.

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

大鳥神社

Otori Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The Jinja Honcho was established in 1946 as a religious corporation independent of the national government under the Shinto Directive issued by GHQ.

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

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

須賀神社

Suga Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Okinawa Prefecture also has the fewest number of shrines per 100,000 people, with 0.9 shrines per 100,000 people; Osaka (8.22) and Tokyo (10.68) are in second and third place, respectively.

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

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

津島神社

Tsushima Shrine

Shrine Number

赤城神社

Akagi Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

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

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

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

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

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

天白稲荷神社

Tenpaku Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The ema (votive tablet) of the Weather Shrine, which also appears in the movie "Weather Child," is in the shape of a geta (wooden clogs). The omikuji is in the shape of a teru teru bozu. The red seal is stamped with the day's weather.

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

稲荷社

Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

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

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

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

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

夫婦木神社

Meotogi Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The general etiquette for worshipping at shrines is "Nirei Ni-Beat-Itte-Ichirei" (two beats, one bow).

Shrine Number

蛯子稲荷大明神

Ebisu Inari Daimyojin

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The southernmost shrine in Japan is Miyako Shrine on Miyako Island, Okinawa Prefecture.