Tokyo Shrines – A glimpse of the real Japan.

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

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

稲荷神社・三峯神社

Inari Shrine Mitsumine Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Shikinai-sha were divided into "kan'ei" and "kokun'ei," which were further classified into "osha" and "kosha," respectively.

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

花園神社

Hnazono Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

A shrine is a place where Shinto deities are enshrined.

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

水神宮

Sui Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

穴八幡宮

Ana Hachimangu

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The prefecture with the fewest number of shrines is Okinawa Prefecture with 13 shrines.

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

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

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

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

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

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

朝日弁財天

Asahi Benzaiten

Shinjuku, Tokyo

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

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

赤城神社

Akagi Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

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

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

熊鷹社

Kumatakasha

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Shrines have a rank that expresses their prestige, called "Shakkaku.

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

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

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

多武峯内藤神社

Tatakegamine-naito Shrine

Shinjuku, Tokyo

In the Heian period (794-1185), the dedication of remote shrines was avoided, and "Nijusha" was established as a new ranking of shrines, mainly those close to Kyoto.51 "Ichinomiya" was established from the late Heian to Kamakura periods, and is the most prestigious shrine in each country (Ritsuryo/Kokugyo).

Shrine Number

天日鷲神社

Ameno-hiwashinokami Shrine