Japan is home to a lot of shrines. We have picked out 5 shrines you have to visit when travelling to Tokyo. All of them are close to the city centre, and not only are they easy to get to, each of them is also very famous.
Shinjuku: Hanazono Shrine, an oasis in central Tokyo
Hanazono Shrine is associated with food and agriculture, success, fortune, and family and company prosperity amongst other things. The closest station to it is Shinjuku-Sanchome Station where it is within mere seconds’ walking distance from the station’s E2 exit. An alternative route is from Shinjuku Station from which is just a 7-minute walk. The shrine is smack in the middle of Shinjuku and near the Shinjuku City Office and Shinjuku Golden Gai.
Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/134888
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Hanazono Shrine
Address: 5-17-3 Shinjuku, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo
Shrine Office Times: 8:00-20:00
Praying Times: 9:30-16:30
TEL: 03-3209-5265
Access: Seconds from E2 Exit of Shinjuku-Sanchome Station via Tokyo Metro Line / 7-minutes on foot from East Exit of Shinjuku Station via JR, Odakyu and Keio Lines
Website: http://www.hanazono-jinja.or.jp
Harajuku: Onsen Shrine, home to the Shinto god of Harajuku and tied to beauty and marriage prosperity
Onden Shrine is located just a 10-minute walk from both Shibuya Station and Harajuku Station via the JR Yamanote Line or 7-minutes from Meiji-Jingumae Station via the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line. It has been enshrined in Harajuku for more than 400 years where it has watched over the area.
Onden Shrine is a site for blessings in things like marriage and beauty. It offers a lot of keywords particularly favoured by girls, so it’s definitely one to visit.
Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/96403
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Onden Shrine
Address: 5-26-6 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo
TEL: 03-3407-7036
Access: 10-minutes on foot from “Shibuya Station” or “Harajuku Station” via the JR Yamanote Line / 7-minutes on foot from “Meiji-Jingumae Station” via the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
Azabu-Jūban: Azabu Hikawa Shrine, the Sailor Moon holy ground
Azabu Hikawa Shrine which is located in the district of Azabu-Juban known for being referenced many times in the Sailor Moon series. The closest station is Azabu-Juban Station. Naoko Takeuchi, the author of Sailor Moon, actually lived in Azabu-Juban when the series was being serialised in Nakayoshi from 1991 to 1997. The shrine was used as a model for Hikawa Shrine where Rei, or Sailor Mars, worked as a shrine maiden.
The shrine is seen as lucky for many reasons. People pray there for increased luck, business prosperity, warding off evil, better fortune, success in life, wealth, safe childbirth, protection against misfortune, academic achievement, exam success, family safety, marriage, national security, and more.
Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/118472
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Azabu Hikawa Shrine
Address: 1-4-23 Motoazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Time: Shop 9:00am-5:00pm / Shrine 9:00am-4:30pm
TEL: 03-3446-8796
Access: 8-minutes on foot from Azabu-Juban Station via the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line or Toei Oedo Line
Website: http://www.azabuhikawa.or.jp
Kamiyachō: Atago Shrine, climb the stone steps for success in life
You can reach Atago Shrine in 5 minutes by foot from Kamiyacho Station via the Hibiya Line or 8 minutes by foot from either Toranomon Station via the Ginza Line or Onarimon Station via the Toei Mita Line.
The fire god Homusubi no Mikoto is the main deity enshrined at Atago Shrine who not only offers protection against fire and fire-related disasters, but brings good fortune to businesses and marriages too.
Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/80038
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Atago Shrine
Address: 1-5-3 Atago, Minato, Tokyo
TEL: 03-3431-0327
Access: 5 minutes by foot from Kamiyacho Station via the Hibiya Line / 8 minutes by foot from either Toranomon Station via the Ginza Line or Onarimon Station via the Toei Mita Line / 20 minutes by foot from JR Shimbashi Station
Homepage: http://www.atago-jinja.com
Asakusa: Imado Shrine, the birthplace of the ‘maneki-neko’ waving cat
The closest station to Imado Shrine is Asakusa Station. It’s about a 15 minute walk from there, but you can reach it quicker on the Megurin Bus for just ¥100. The shrine is popular power spot for successful marriage. The god of wealth and longevity and one of Asakusa’s Seven Lucky Gods, Fukurokuju, is also enshrined here. The shrine is also recognised as one of Tokyo’s 8 Shitamachi shrines that people make a pilgrimage to.
Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/111527
■Information
Imado Shrine
Address: 1-5-22 Imado, Taito, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 9am-5pm
TEL: 03-3872-2703
Access: 15-minutes on foot from Asakusa Station / 5-minutes on foot from Asakusa 7-Chome bus stop (浅草七丁目) via Toei Bus / 1-minute on foot from ‘Riverside Sports Center’ bus stop (リバーサイドスポーツセンター前) via Kita Megurin Bus in Taito
Website: http://imadojinja1063.crayonsite.net
Did you enjoy our list? Remember, all of them are super easy to access from central Tokyo and from tourist hot spots, so be sure to make your own pilgrimage around each of them while in Tokyo.
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Hirosaki x Hakodate x Snow Miku Tourism Campaign
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Details: https://www.hirosaki-kanko.or.jp/edit.html?id=hirohako
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NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO Ninna-ji
Venue: Ninna-ji (Five-storied Pagoda, Main Temple)
Running: December 10 – December 18, 2022
*No admission on December 17 due to a private event.
Hours: 17:30-21:30 *Last entry at 21:00
Official Site: https://garden.naked.works/kyoto/ -
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Kanda Myojin CG Space
https://virtual-akihabara-web.com/kandamyoujin-kojomasayuki10th/
Masayuki Kojo 10th Anniversary Exhibition
Running: June 4 – July 10, 2022
Hours: 9:00-16:00 *Last entry at 15:45, open daily
Address: Kanda Myojin Cultural Exchange Center 1F (2-16-2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
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Gujo Hachiman Villa, Limited to 1 Couple Per Day (Gifu)
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Ryusenji Temple in Saitama is offering some exclusive summer goshuin! Goshuin are stamps or seals given to worshippers at shrines and temples around Japan, where somebody will stamp your goshuin-cho (stamp book) with the site’s unique seal along with the temple’s name and the day you visited handwritten in ink. The two new goshuin feature summer fireworks and a cooling fan design. These will be available from June 1 until August. They might sell out, though, so be quick!
Summer Exclusive Paper-Cut Overlaid Goshuin: Fireworks and a Wish for Peace
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Saitama Yakuyoke Kaiun Daishi
Address: 3712 Mikajiri, Kumagaya, Saitama
Official Site: https://yakuyoke-kaiun.jp/