Top 10 Shrines In Tokyo - Best Shinto Shrines To Visit

Hi everyone, today we're going to introduce you to the top 10 shrines in Tokyo. But before we start going through the ranking, there's about 1,500 shrines in Tokyo, so it's almost impossible to choose only 10. Yeah, there were literally so many just in the Tokyo area, so this time we're taking into consideration the proximity to the centre, the size, the amount of visitors, and of course, the history. So starting off at number 10 with Suitengu Shrine. Although located in Tokyo, Suitengu Shrine is actually a branch of the Kurume Suitengu Shrine over 500 miles away in Fukuoka Prefecture. It was originally constructed in the Mita area of Tokyo in 1818, but was then moved to its current location in 1872. The original Suitengu Shrine was founded in 1185, after the defeat of the Heike clan at the Battle of Dan-no-Ura. It was built to pray for the souls of the Emperor Antoku and his mother, who took their own lives after the defeat by jumping into the ocean. Lost with their bodies under the waves was a sacred sword which was one of three imperial treasures that symbolised the legitimacy of the throne. Since then, the shrine has been worshipped for easy childbirth and the prosperity of descendants. It often becomes very crowded, especially with many women praying for their unborn children and coming to receive an amulet of blessing on Inu-no-hi or Day of the Dog, as dogs are often blessed with large litters of puppies. Number 9, Tomioka Hachiman Shrine. Tomioka Hachiman Shrine is the largest of many Hachiman shrines in Tokyo. The shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war and archery, and the divine protector of Japan. The shrine was constructed in 1627 and also contains 17 smaller shrines to various deities such as the god of sumo wrestling, travel, and prosperity. In fact, Tomioka Hachiman Shrine is the birthplace of a form of sumo known as kanjin-zumo, in which modern day sumo gets its origins. The Fukagawa Hachiman Festival features over 54 different mikoshi shrines and is one of the three largest religious festivals in Tokyo. Number 8, Shiba Daijingu. Dating back to the year 1005, Shiba Daijingu is a branch of the Grand Shrine of Ise and is dedicated to the deities the god of agriculture and industry. Shiba Daijingu is also home to the longest festival in Japan, the Daradara Matsuri, that lasts for 11 whole days. The festival got its name from the Japanese word daradara that is used when describing something that goes by slowly, like daradaraneru, meaning to sleep in for an unnecessarily long time. Despite its smaller size, the shrine is a popular wedding spot and listed as one of the Tokyo Jusha, a group of 10 shrines that maintain peace and safety of the Tokyo area. Number 7, Tokyo Daijingu. Tokyo Daijingu is sometimes referred to as Oise-sama in Tokyo, referencing the Grand Shrine of Ise in Mie Prefecture. During the Edo period, many people needed to make a pilgrimage all the way to the Grand Shrine of Ise to worship powerful deities such as Amaterasu Sume Okami, the ancestral god of the imperial family and highest ranking god in Shinto. It's also known for being the first shrine to have established the Shinto wedding ceremony, which is nowadays widely performed throughout the country. That makes this shrine a popular praying spot for all things love-related. Many come here to purchase lucky umamori charms in the hope of improving their relationships. Number 6, Hakusan Shrine. Hakusan Shrine was established in the year 948 and is a branch of the Shirayama Hime Shrine that worships Mount Hakusan in Ishikawa Prefecture. It was moved to its current location in 1655. People are known to pray at this shrine for marriages as well as, oddly enough, toothaches. According to legend, an empress long ago got rid of her toothache after coming to this shrine, but this is just one of many unfounded stories. Whatever the theory though, in the Edo period this shrine apparently became known for alleviating tooth pain, which in those days was a serious issue and it is easy to understand why people were turning to divine intervention for relief. A stone monument is also put here for Sun Yat-sen, a founding father of the Republic of China. The story goes that while in Japan he saw the famous Halley Comet at Hakusan Shrine in 1910 and this inspired him to start the revolution in his homeland. Number 5, Akasaka Hikawa Shrine. The origins of Akasaka Hikawa Shrine date back all the way to 951. In 1730, the shrine was moved to its current location by order of the 8th Shogun, Yoshimune Tokugawa and it became his personal shrine. Yoshimune was famous for his modest, frugal policy and the shrine is relatively simple looking. Akasaka Hikawa Shrine has miraculously remained intact despite several major natural disasters such as the Ansei Great Earthquake, the Kanto Great Earthquake, and the Tokyo Air Raids. This has allowed it to retain its original features from the Edo period. There is also a notable Rinko tree that is over 25 meters tall and around 400 years old, further emphasizing the historical feel of the shrine. It is designated as an intangible cultural asset to the Tokyo metropolitan area. Number 4, Kando Myojin. The establishment of Kando Myojin dates back to 730 AD in the modern-day Otemachi area of the Chiyoda district. Located northeast of Edo Castle, it played an important part as the general protector of the Edo area. Its formal name is Kando Jinja, but the name of Kando Myojin has remained more familiar to the people of Tokyo to this day. At present, Kando Myojin is the main protective shrine of 108 different towns, including Akihabara, the world-famous Nerd Haven, Otemachi and Marunouchi, Tokyo's key central business areas, as well as Kanda and Nihonbashi, the original downtown areas during the Edo period. It is usually crowded with visitors from many companies wishing for the prosperity of their businesses. One of the main deities enshrined here is Taira no Masakado, who is known as the god of victory for once conquering the Kanto region. Number 3, Nezu Shrine. Nezu Shrine was relocated to Nezu in 1706 by Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, and it is one of the oldest religious sites in Tokyo. Many buildings on the site grounds have remained intact to this day and have been designated as important cultural assets. Legend says that the shrine was originally founded in Sendagi, just north of the current location by Yamato Takeru, who is a famous hero from the ancient myth. However, no structures from the original shrine remain. The shrine also contains a large azalea garden, which features around 100 different species and can be seen in bloom every April. This has earned Nezu Shrine a reputation as Tokyo's most beautiful shrine. Number 2, Hiei Shrine. When Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, moved to Edo city almost 500 years ago, he designated Hiei Shrine as the protector of Edo castle. Today, the shrine is also known as Sanou-sama by local residents, and thought to grant wishes for matchmaking, happy marriages, and success in business. You'll also find many monkey statues dotted around the grounds. In Shinto, monkeys are thought to be the messengers of the gods who reside in the shrine. Every June, Hiei Shrine is also the setting for the famous Sanou festival, which is one of the big three Edo festivals in Tokyo. Hundreds of lanterns are put on display, while people enjoy dancing and singing to the sound of taiko drums. Leading to the main shrine building, there are three impressive torii gates, Obotisando, Urasando, and Inarisando. These three gates are known as Sanou Torii, which has a unique mountain shape at the top. From 1871 to 1946, Hiei Shrine was officially designated one of the Kanpei Taisha, meaning that it stood in the first rank of government-supported shrines. 1. Meiji Shrine Meiji Shrine is one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Tokyo, and the number of visitors can reach over 3 million on New Year's Day. Meiji Shrine was completed in 1920, eight years after the death of Emperor Meiji. The original was destroyed during World War II, but was quickly rebuilt afterwards. The shrine itself is located in the middle of a vast forest that envelops it in a serene calmness. Throughout the year, you can experience several traditional performances at the shrine. Urayasu no Mai is a spring festival from the end of April to the beginning of May, where you can see Mikomai, a female Shinto dance, where young girls carry a small baton with bells. There's also Bugaku, a core dance with traditional music, and Nougaku, a Japanese play using masks during this period. Meiji Shrine is a must-see location to get the real taste of traditional Japanese culture. So there you have it guys, our top 10 favorite shrines in Tokyo. I hope it was helpful in finding your next shrine to visit. And if we missed off your favorite shrine, then let us know down in the comments. Make sure you subscribe to Reel Tokyo, and we'll see you again in the next video. See you again!