Tokyo Shrines – A glimpse of the real Japan.

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

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

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

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

成子富士浅間神社

Naruko-fiji-asama Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

There are 22,000 priests in Japan, of which approximately 3,000 are women.

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

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

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

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

改代稲荷神社

Kaitai Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Including annexes and outlying regent shrines, Ise Jingu is the largest shrine in Japan in terms of area.

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

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

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

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

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

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

小田急豊川稲荷

Odakyu-toyokawa Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The northernmost shrine in Japan is Cape Soya Shrine in Hokkaido.

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

津の守弁財天

Tsunokami Benzaiten

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Ise Jingu was considered a separate entity and was placed outside the classification of the modern shrine ranking system and imperial shrines.

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

赤城神社

Akagi Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

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

Shrine Number

稲荷社

Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

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

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

皆中稲荷神社

Kaichu Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The forests maintained in and around the grounds of shrines are called "chinju no mori (woods).

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

秋葉神社

Akiba Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

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

豊玉稲荷神社

Toyotama Inari Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Meiji Jingu Shrine usually attracts the largest number of visitors for Hatsumode (New Year's visit) in Japan. The number of visitors is approximately 3.2 million on the first three days of the year.

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

朝日弁財天

Asahi Benzaiten

Shinjuku, Tokyo

In general, people refrain from visiting shrines during the period of mourning.

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.