This article is also available in Japanese (日本語). You can refer to it from here.
In Chuo Ward and Taito Ward of Tokyo, eight Shinto shrines are called the Eight Lucky Gods of Tokyo Shitamach. According to them, each of them brings you a different benefit; you can expect eight various benefits when you worship them all.
This article will introduce helpful information when you pilgrimage to the Eight Lucky Gods of Tokyo Shitamachi on your next trip to Japan. So be sure to read this article to make your pilgrimage more fun and meaningful.
Who Are the Eight Lucky Gods of Tokyo Shitamachi?
The Eight Lucky Gods of Tokyo Shitamachi refer to eight Shinto shrines in Chuo Ward and Taito Ward of Tokyo. Some people may call them the Eight Shrines in Shitamachi. Unlike the Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa, these luck gods only include Shinto shrines. And many of them don’t enshrine so-called the Seven Lucky Gods.
Each of them brings you a different benefit; you can expect eight various benefits when you worship them all. But their benefits are different from ones of the Seven Lucky Gods, as you can imagine.
Here is a list of the eight shrines and their benefit to worship:
- Otori Shrine (prosperous business)
- Imado Shrine (matchmaking)
- Shitaya Shrine (peace and harmonization)
- Onoterusaki Shrine (academics and performing arts)
- Sakaki Shrine (health and longevity)
- Suitengu Shrine (safe delivery and pregnancy)
- Koami Shrine (good luck and calamity prevention)
- Sumiyoshi Shrine (traffic safety)
The concept of the Eight Lucky Gods of Tokyo Shitamachi was introduced in 1981 as a part of the regional revitalization projects of Tokyo. You can enjoy historic sites and feel the atmosphere of the Shitamachi area of Tokyo while you are making your pilgrimage.
When Should You Make Your Pilgrimage?
Like other pilgrimages of the Seven Lucky Gods, you should make your pilgrimage of the Eight Lucky Gods of Tokyo Shitamach during the new year season. This is because you can pray for good luck for you and your family members for the year.
Of course, you make your pilgrimage all year round at your convenience. However, please remember that some pilgrimage goods are only available during the new year season.
Pilgrimage Goods
When you make a pilgrimage, you can bring your shuincho book if you have one. But you also can purchase any of the following pilgrimage goods:
- Shikishi
- Hachifukumori and Naifu
- Suehiro-Fukusen
Shikishi
Shikishi is a rectangular piece of cardboard about 24cm wide and about 27 cm long. You can purchase one at any shrines of the Eight Lucky Gods of Tokyo Shitamachi for 400 Yen.
Each of the eight shrines provides its original signature and seal stamp called shuin for its worshippers. You can ask the eight shrines to write down their shuin to your shikishi. You need to pay 200 Yen each time you ask for one.
Hachifukumori and Naifu
These pilgrimage items are only available for the new year season. Hachifukumori is a small case made of fabric. In contrast, Naifu is a paper talisman to keep in your hachifukumori.
At your first pilgrimage site, you can purchase hachifukumori and naifu one of each. Then you buy only naifu at the following pilgrimage sites. Hachifukumori costs 400 Yen. In addition, you need to pay 300 Yen each time you ask for naifu.
Suehiro-Fukusen
Suehiro-Fukusen is a special fan of the Eight Lucky Gods of Tokyo Shitamachi. You can purchase one for 1,600 Yen at any of the eight shrines during the new year season. Once you get your fan, you ask the eight shrines to write down their shuin to it. You need to pay 200 Yen each time you ask for one.
The Eight Shrines in Detail
We featured the following shrines on this site:
Onoterusaki Shrine
Onoterusaki Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Taito Ward, Tokyo. This shrine is dedicated to Ono no Takamura, a Shinto god of scholarship and arts. An episode of Atsumi Kiyoshi, a Japanese actor, made this shrine famous. When he was young, he worshiped this shrine; he won the primary role of “Otoko wa tsuraiyo,” a long-lasting movie and TV drama series in Japan.
For more information about this shrine, please read the following article:
Otori Shrine
Otori Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Taito Ward, Tokyo. This shrine is famous for its annual festival named “Tori-no-ichi,” which expects over 70,000 visitors every year. Several shrines also offer “Tori-no-ichi,” but Otori Shrine’s festival is the biggest of all.
For more information about this shrine, please read the following article:
Imado Shrine
Imado Shrine is a Shinto Shrine in Taito Ward, Tokyo. This shrine is famous for its blessings: Matchmaking. For this reason, many young people visit this shrine to pray for their love fortune. Moreover, Imado Shrine is known as a cat shrine. You will see lots of cat statues everywhere in its precincts.
For more information about this shrine, please read the following article:
Shitaya Shrine
Shitaya Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Taito Ward of Tokyo. This shrine is the oldest Inari shrine with about 1,300 years of history. In the old days, people said, “Shinto festivals of the summer in Edo (old name of Tokyo) start from Shitaya.” Shitaya Shrine is famous for its annual festival, which is the earliest summer Shinto festival in Tokyo.
For more information about this shrine, please read the following article:
