This article is also available in Japanese (日本語). You can refer to it from here.
We will introduce Yanagimori Shrine in Kanda Sudacho of Tokyo, a small Shinto shrine along the Kanda River. This shrine has many subordinate shrines in the precincts. And one called Otanuki-san (Ms. Raccoon dog) is especially famous for its benefit to worship: marrying into wealth.
This article contains helpful information for you to visit Yanagimori Shrine. All the data is worth knowing, including its history, highlights, enshrined Shinto gods, benefits to worship, and access methods. Just reading this article will make this shrine more interesting to you.
- History
- Enshrined Gods and Their Blessings
- Kura Inatama no Okami (倉稲魂大神)
- Fukujushin (福寿神)
- Izanami no Mikoto (伊弉冉命)
- Waku Musuhi no Mikoto (稚産霊命)
- Uka no Mitama no Mikoto (倉稲魂命)
- Hontawake no Mikoto (誉田別命)
- Ukemochi no Kami (宇気母智神)
- Omononushi no Kami (大物主神)
- Kagutsuchi no Kami (迦具土神)
- Konohana Sakuya Hime no Mikoto (木之花咲耶姫命)
- Tagirihime no Mikoto (多紀理比賣命)
- Ichikishima Hime no Mikoto (市寸島比賣命)
- Tagitsu Hime no Mikoto (田寸津比賣命)
- Other Useful Information
- Basic Data
- Conclusions
History
The origin of Yanagimori Shrine dates back to the Muromachi period. In 1458, Dokan Ota (太田道灌), who built Edo Castle, solicited Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社) in Kyoto to avoid the demon gate of Edo Castle. And he enshrined it as a guardian of the willow forest in the current Sakuma-cho area. Yanagimori Shrine was relocated to the present location in 1659.
The Tokugawa shogunate revered this shrine because it was for warding off the demon gate of Edo Castle. The commoners also worshipped this shrine as a deity of prosperous business. Yanagimori Shrine is called Edo Sammori (江戸三森) along with Karasumori Shrine (烏森神社) and Suginomori Shrine (椙森神社) in Tokyo.
Enshrined Gods and Their Blessings
Kura Inatama no Okami (倉稲魂大神)
- Other names: Inari no kami (稲荷神), Uka no mitama no kami (宇迦之御魂神), Uka no mitama no mikoto (倉稲魂命), etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto goddess of grain, agriculture, etc.
- Blessings: Huge harvest, prosperous business, household safety, industrial prosperity, traffic safety, performing arts improvement, etc.
Fukujushin (福寿神)
- Other names: Otanuki-san
- Divinity: Keishoin, the birth mother of the fifth shogun Tsunayoshi of the Edo Shogunate
- Blessings: Marrying into wealth, good fortune, wish fulfillment, success of examination, success of competition, successful career, economic fortune, etc.
- Note: Fukujushinshi Shrine (福寿神祠) enshrines this Shinto goddess.
Izanami no Mikoto (伊弉冉命)
- Other names: Izanami no mikoto (伊邪那美命), etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto godess of creation, kuniumi (birth of the islands), kamiumi (birth of the Shinto gods), etc.
- Blessings: Fulfillment in love, marital harmony, safe delivery, prosperous business, etc.
- Note: Sai-no-kami-no-yashiro Shrine (幸神社) enshrines this Shinto goddess.
Waku Musuhi no Mikoto (稚産霊命)
- Other names: Waku musuhi no kami (和久産巣日神), etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto goddess of grain, sericulture, etc.
- Blessings: Fulfillment in love, safe delivery and parenting, good health, prosperous business, etc.
- Note:
Uka no Mitama no Mikoto (倉稲魂命)
- Other names: Inari no kami (稲荷神), Uka no mitama no kami (宇迦之御魂神), Kura Inatama No Okami (倉稲魂大神), etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto goddess of grain, agriculture, etc.
- Blessings: Huge harvest, prosperous business, household safety, industrial prosperity, traffic safety, performing arts improvement, etc.
- Note: Sai no kami no yashiro Shrine (幸神社) enshrines this Shinto goddess.
Hontawake no Mikoto (誉田別命)
- Other names: Hachiman (八幡神), Ojin tenno (応神天皇), Homuta no sumera mikoto (譽田天皇), etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto god of victory, war, etc.
- Blessings: long-lasting fortunes of war, success of competition, successful career, good fortune, etc.
- Note: Sai no kami no yashiro Shrine (幸神社) enshrines this Shinto god.
Ukemochi no Kami (宇気母智神)
- Other names: Ukemochi no kami (保食神), etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto goddess of grain, food, agriculture, etc.
- Blessings: Huge harvest, prosperous business, household safety, industrial prosperity, traffic safety, performing arts improvement, etc.
- Note: Meitoku Inari Shrine (明徳稲荷神社) enshrines this Shinto goddess.
Omononushi no Kami (大物主神)
- Other names: Miwa myojin (三輪明神), etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto god of nation-building
- Blessings: Matchmaking, household harmony, prosperous business, etc.
- Note: Kotoshira Shrine (金刀比羅神社) enshrines this Shinto god.
Kagutsuchi no Kami (迦具土神)
- Other names: Hi no kagutsuchi no kami (火之迦具土神), Homusubi (火産霊), etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto god of fire
- Blessings: Fire calamity prevention, industrial prosperity, economic fortune, etc.
- Note: Akiba no okami Shrine (秋葉大神) enshrines this Shinto god.
Konohana Sakuya Hime no Mikoto (木之花咲耶姫命)
- Other names: Konohana no sakuya hime (木花之佐久夜毘売), etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto goddess of Mt. Fuji, volcanoes, safe delivery, parenting, etc.
- Blessings: Fire calamity prevention, safe delivery, pregnancy, etc.
- Note: Fujinomiya Sengen Shrine (富士宮浅間神社) enshrines this Shinto goddess.
Tagirihime no Mikoto (多紀理比賣命)
- Other names: Takiri hime (田霧姫), the oldest sister of the Three Goddesses of Munakata, etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto goddess of water, road, etc.
- Blessings: Traffic safety, maritime safety, economic fortune, performing arts improvement, etc.
- Note: Suijin Itsukushima Daimyojin Shrine (水神厳島大明神) and Enoshima Daimyojin (江島大明神) enshrine this Shinto goddess.
Ichikishima Hime no Mikoto (市寸島比賣命)
- Other names: Sayori hime no mikoto (狭依毘売命), Benzaiten (弁財天), the second oldest sister of the Three Goddesses of Munakata, etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto goddess of water, road, performing arts, etc.
- Blessings: Traffic safety, maritime safety, economic fortune, performing arts improvement, etc.
- Note: Suijin Itsukushima Daimyojin Shrine (水神厳島大明神) and Enoshima Daimyojin (江島大明神) enshrine this Shinto goddess.
Tagitsu Hime no Mikoto (田寸津比賣命)
- Other names: Tagitsu hime (湍津姫), the youngest sister of the Three Goddesses of Munakata, etc.
- Divinity: A Shinto goddess of water, road, etc.
- Blessings: Traffic safety, maritime safety, economic fortune, performing arts improvement, etc.
- Note: Suijin Itsukushima Daimyojin Shrine (水神厳島大明神) and Enoshima Daimyojin (江島大明神) enshrine this Shinto goddess.
Other Useful Information
Subsidiary Shrines
Yanagimori Shrine has seven subsidiary shrines. Subsidiary shrines are called Keidaisha (境内社) or Setsumatsusha (摂末社) in Japanese, for your reference. Each subsidiary shrine has different deities; each has its divine messenger, such as foxes, dogs, dragons, and raccoon dogs.
Deities enshrined for the subsidiary shrines of Yanagimori Shrine are as follows.
| Subsidiary Shrines | Enshrined Deities |
|---|---|
| Sai-no-kami-no-yashiro (幸神社) | Izanami-no-mikoto (伊弉冉命) — a deiety of creation Wakumusuhi-no-mikoto (稚産霊命) — a deiety of of agriculture Uka-no-mitama-no-mikoto (倉稲魂命) — a deiety of fertility Hontawake-no-mikoto (誉田別命) — a diety of war |
| Fukuju Shrine (福寿神祠) | Fukujushin (福寿神) — a diety of good fortune |
| Kotohira Shrine (金刀比羅神社) | Ōmononushi-no-kami (大物主神) — a diety of nation-building, agriculture, business, medicine, brewing, and seafaring |
| Suijin Itsukushima Daimyojin (水神厳島大明神) Enoshima Daimyojin (江島大明神) | Tagiri-hime-no-mikoto (多紀理比賣命) — a diety of water Ichikishima-hime-no-mikoto (市寸島比賣命) — a diety of water Tagitsu-shime-no-mikoto (田寸津比賣命) — a diety of water |
| Akiba-no-okami (秋葉大神) | Kagutsuchi-no-kami (迦具土神) — a diety of fire |
| Meitoku Inari Shrine (明徳稲荷神社) | Ukemochi-no-kami (宇気母智神) — a diety of food |
| Fujinomiya Sengen Shrine (富士宮浅間神社) | Konohana-sakuya-hime-no-mikoto (木之花咲耶姫命) — a deity of Mount Fuji and all volcanoes |
Otanuki-San
A wooden statue of a raccoon dog is enshrined as a deity in the Fukuju Shrine. For this reason, this subsidiary shrine has been familiar to the commoners for a long time as Otanuki-san (“Ms. Racoon dog” in English).
The predecessor of Fukuju Shrine was Fukuju Inari Shrine in Edo Castle. And Keishoin, the birth mother of the fifth shogun Tsunayoshi of the Edo Shogunate, founded the Inari shrine. Although Keishoin was from the commoners, she became the shogun’s concubine. Maids of Edo Castle, who admire the good luck of Keishoin, worshiped Fukuju Inari Shrine.
In the 2nd year of the Meiji (1869), Fukuju Inari Shrine was merged to Yanagimori Shrine. And it changed the name to the current Fukuju Shrine. Since then, commoners worshiped Fukuju Shrine for its benefits of good luck and financial luck.
Fuji-Ko-Related Stone Monuments
On the right side of the Chozuya, the purification fountain, there is a group of stone monuments related to Fuji-ko. Fuji-ko is a folk religion that worships Mt. Fuji, and it used to be popular among townspeople and farmers during the Edo period.
Yanagimori Shrine has a subsidiary shrine named Fujinomiya Sengen Shrine, which was solicited from Suruga Fujinomiya Sengen Shrine. As this shrine is very closed to Fuji-ko, Yanagimori Shrine also has a close relationship with Fuji-kō since ancient times.
There used to be Fujizuka (富士塚), a small mound representing Mt. Fuji, in Yanagimori Shrine’s precincts. But, it was demolished due to the abolition of Fuji-ko. Fuji-ko-related stone monuments are remnants of stones and monuments used for the mound.
These remnants are historical evidence that shows Fuji-ko existed around Yanagimori Shrine to the present era. Chiyoda Ward has designated the remnants as a tangible folk cultural property for this reason.
Chikara-Ishi Stones
Chikara-ishi stones are so-called lifting stones in English. From the Edo period to the Meiji period, young people used these stones to prove their strength by lifting them. And Yanagimori Shrine has 13 Chikara-ishi stones on the precinct. These stones also are an invaluable piece of material to know a part of life at that time. Therefore, Chiyoda Ward has designated the stones as a tangible folk cultural property as well.
Gyoiko-Sakura
In the center of the precincts of Yanagimori Shrine, Gyoiko-sakura, a sort of cherry blossoms, is planted. The petals of Somei-yoshino, the most common cherry blossoms in Japan, are pale pink, but the ones of Gyoiko-sakura are pale green. In addition, the central part of the flower is reddish, and this redness increases as it reaches its peak.
Hana-Chozu
Although no one is residing in the Yanagimori Shrine office, the shrine is very well-maintained. One good example is Hana-chōzu. Hana-chozu is a practice to float colorful flowers on the water of the Chozu-bachi, a purification fountain of a shrine. At Yanagimori Shrine, you can enjoy hydrangeas floating on the Chōzu-bachi, for example. This is pleasing to the eyes of worshipers.
Basic Data
Opening Hours
- From 07:00 to 17:00
TEL
- 03-3251-6422
Address
- Kanda-Suda-Cho 2-25-1, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, 101-0041
Google Map
Public Transport (Train)
- 10 minutes on foot from Akihabara Station on the JR Line.
- 10 minutes on foot from Akihabara Station on the Tokyo Metoro Hibiya Line.
- 10 minutes on foot from Akihabara Station on the Tsukuba Express Line.
- 10 minutes on foot from Iwamotocho Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line.
Public Restroom Availability
- No
References
Conclusions
This time, we introduced Yanagimori Shrine along the Kanda River in Akihabara. The combination of a town of otaku culture and a religious site may have been surprising.
Yanagimori Shrine is not so big, but it is a venerable shrine with over 560 years of history. There are many must-see highlights, such as subsidiary shrines, folk cultural properties, and seasonal beauties.
When you visit Akihabara, be sure to visit this Yanagimori Shrine. You will discover a surprising side of the town.
