Tokyo Shitamachi Tour: Asakusa Shrine and Its Two Subordinate Shrines

Asakusa Shrine (Taito, Tokyo) Tokyo Shitamachi Tours
Asakusa Shrine (Taito, Tokyo)

Our “Tokyo Shitamachi Tour” category recommends where to visit for sightseeing in Tokyo’s Shitamachi area (the area along and east of the Sumida River). We select a different theme each time and propose a model course of casual self-guided tours.

If you plan to visit Tokyo, the Tokyo Shitamachi Tour is exactly for you. It will help you to find where to go in the Shitamachi area of Tokyo.

This time, we chose Asakusa Shrine and its two subordinate shrines. Asakusa Shrine has several subordinate shrines. And we visited Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine and Hikan Inari Shrine.

This blog post will cover the highlights of Asakusa Shrine and its two subordinate shrines. For your self-guided tour, you can visit all of them or pick one. It’s all up to you!

We hope this blog post will help you somewhat when you visit Tokyo for sightseeing. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us through the contact form.

This blog post is also available in Japanese. You can refer to it at the following link:

Tour Overview

This self-guided tour features Asakusa Shrine, Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine, and Hikan Inari Shrine in Taito Ward of Tokyo. These three Shinto shrines are in the same neighborhood, so you can visit them easily.

Recommended For

This self-guided tour is ideal if you are any of the following:

  • I want to go to places other than Sensoji in the Asakusa area.
  • I want to visit the god of safe delivery and childrearing.
  • I want to visit the god of beauty.
  • I’m interested in a shrine frequented by Kabuki actors and comedians.
  • I like Fujizuka mounds.
  • etc.

Duration

  • Duration: Appoximately 40 minutes

Departure & Return

  • Departure point: Exit #3 of Minowa Station on the Hibiya Line
  • Return point: Sensoji Temple

Itinerary

  1. Minowa Station on the Hibiya Line
  2. Minowa Station Stop (Stop #14) on Megurin North Route (Asakusa)
  3. Asakusa-Keisatsusho-Mae Stop (Stop #20) on Megurin North Route (Asakusa)
  4. Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine
  5. GeGeGe no Kitaro and Ultraman at Sensoji Temple
  6. Asakusa Shrine
  7. Hikan Inari Shrine
  8. Sensoji Temple

Restrooms

  • Minowa Station on the Hibiya Line
  • Fuji Park behind Asakusa Police Station
  • Sensoji Temple
  • etc.

Tour Details

Basic Knowledge

The Relationship Between Asakusa Shrine and Sensoji Temple

Reference: The National Diet Library – Edo Kiriezu (Imado Minowa Asakusa Ezu)

Asakusa Shrine and Sensoji Temple are on the same site. They were the same entity until the Meiji government issued the Shinbutsu-Bunri policy in 1868. This policy strictly separates Shintoism from Buddhism.

Route Details

Exit #3 of Minowa Station on the Hibiya Line

Minowa Station on the Hibiya Line (Taito, Tokyo)

Our tour starts at Exit #3 of Minowa Station on the Hibiya Line. To take this exit, take the stairs toward Kitasenju at the platform of Minowa Station.

When you get to the ground level, you will see Meiji-Dori Street in front of you. After crossing the street, you will see a stop on Megurin Bus on your left.

Minowa Station Stop (Stop #14) on Megurin North Route (Asakusa)

This time, we will take Megurin North Route (Asakusa) from Minowa Station to Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine. It’s going to be a 15-minute ride, so enjoy the view from the bus.

Megurin North Route (Asakusa) is one of the routes of Megurin Bus, Taito Ward’s community bus service. If you want to go to Asakusa from Minowa or vice versa, this route is convenient.

For more information about Megurin Bus, please refer to the following blog posts:

Asakusa-Keisatsusho-Mae Stop (Stop #20) on Megurin North Route (Asakusa)

Asakusa-Keisatsusho-Mae Stop on Megurin North Route (Asakusa) (Taito, Tokyo)

Get off the bus at Asakusa Keisatsusho-Mae Stop (Stop #20) on Megurin North Route (Asakusa). Then walk in the direction the bus is traveling. Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine is a 1-minute walk from the stop.

Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine

Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine (Taito, Tokyo)

Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine is a Shinto shrine based on Fuji Shinko, beliefs and practices associated with Mt. Fuji. Fuji Shinko was very popular during the Edo period (between the 16th and 19th centuries).

Visiting Mt. Fuji has a significant meaning for those who practice Fuji Shinko. However, it was very difficult due to bad traffic conditions during the Edo period.

People worshipped Shinto shrines associated with Fuji Shinko instead of visiting Mt. Fuji itself. According to Asakusa Shrine, Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine was a major sacred site for Fuji Shinko in Edo (now it’s Tokyo).

Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine enshrines Konohanasakuya-Hime, the goddess of Mt. Fuji and volcanoes. Her divine virtues are fire prevention, safe delivery, pregnancy, etc.

Konohanasakuya-Hime is one of the most beautiful goddesses in Japanese mythology. She is even the origin of the word “sakura” (cherry blossom).

The shrine office at Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine is closed except for New Year’s Day and annual festival days. If you want to obtain Omamori (amulets) or Goshuin (a handwritten certificate of worship), you need to go to the shrine office at Asakusa Shrine.

For more information about Asakusa Fuji Sengen Shrine, please refer to the following article:

Fuji-Dori Street

Fuji-Dori Street is the street between Asakusa Police Station and Fuji Elementary School. If you walk straight south on this street, you will arrive at the back entrance of Sensoji Temple. This entrance’s landmark is a Sensoji Hospital signboard. It takes about 5 minutes from the shrine to the back entrance.

GeGeGe no Kitaro and Ultraman at Sensoji Temple

GeGeGe no Kitaro at Sensoji Temple (Taito, Tokyo)

When you enter Sensoji Temple from the back entrance, there is a shrubbery on your left. You can find stone statues of GeGeGe no Kitaro and Ultraman in the shrubbery.

We don’t know why Sensoji Temple has such stone statues. We searched on the Internet, but we couldn’t find the answer.

GeGeGe no Kitaro at Sensoji Temple (Taito, Tokyo)

For more information about Sensoji Temple, please refer to the following article:

Asakusa Shrine

Asakusa Shrine (Taito, Tokyo)

After passing the GeGeGe no Kitaro statue, continue straight. And you will find Asakusa Shrine on your left. Asakusa Shrine is located on the same site as Sensoji Temple.

Asakusa Shrine is a Shinto shrine that enshrines Sanja Gongen, the local gods. For this reason, locals often call Asakusa Shrine “Sanja-sama” (Lord Sanja).

Sanja Gongen is the deification of the following three people who contributed to the founding of Asakusa Shrine:

  • Hamanari Hinokuma
  • Takenari Hinokuma
  • Manakachi Haji

We don’t know the specific divine virtues of Sanja Gongen. The official Web site of the shrine doesn’t mention it. We searched on the Internet, but we couldn’t find the answer.

Asakusa Shrine enshrines some Shinto gods other than Sanja Gongen. The gods and their divine virtues are the following:

  • Ieyasu Tokudaga: successful career, prosperous business, household safety, wish fulfillment, etc.
  • Okuninushi-no-Mikoto: prosperous business, good health, marital harmony, etc.
  • Ebisu: good catch, prosperous business, household safety, etc.

When we talk about the divine virtues of Asakusa Shrine, we often refer to the divine virtues of these Shinto gods.

Iemitsu Tokugawa, the third Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, donated the main building of Asakusa Shrine. We marvel that this building is still intact after over 370 years.

For more information about Asakusa Shrine, please refer to the following article:

Hikan Inari Shrine

Hikan Inari Shrine (Taito, Tokyo)

There is a shrine office on the right side of the main building of Asakusa Shrine. Hikan Inari Shrine is ahead of the shrine office.

Hikan Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine that enshrines Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto. This Shinto goddess is also known as Inari.

Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto is the goddess of grain and agriculture. Her major divine virtues are the following:

  • Good harvest
  • Profitable business
  • Household safety
  • Performing arts improvement
  • etc.

As one sightseeing area in Tokyo, Asakusa has long been known for theatrical shows and Kabuki plays. Improvement in the performing arts is one of Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto’s divine virtues. Therefore, Hikan Inari Shrine is popular with Kabuki actors and comedians.

Hikan Inari Shrine (Taito, Tokyo)

Many guardian foxes protect Hikan Inari Shrine. Kabuki actors dedicated many of them.Just by looking at it, you can tell that Kabuki actors have worshipped this shrine.

Our favorite foxes are the ones on Hengaku, the nameplate on a Torii Gate. Hikan Inari Shrine has three Torii Gates. The third Tori Gate, which is the innermost gate, has foxes on it.

The shrine office at Hikan Inari Shrine is usually closed. If you want to obtain Omamori (amulets) or Goshuin (a handwritten certificate of worship), you need to go to the shrine office at Asakusa Shrine.

For more information about Hikan Inari Shrine, please refer to the following article:

Sensoji Temple

Nitenmon Gate at Sensoji Temple (Taito, Tokyo)

Our Tokyo Shitamachi Tour is over after visiting Hikan Inari Shrine. If you still have time, you can stroll around Sensoji Temple or enjoy street food in the Asakusa area. It’s all up to you!

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