Mar 14, 2013 - 1 min read

Akasaka’s Hie-jinja Shrine

Guard of Edo castle

By Tomoko Kamishima

Community writer

The shrine gate

Approach to one of the small shrines inside Hie-jinja

Beautiful double-layered roofs

Maiden in the service of the shrine

Sublime sunshine

Mother and a boy playing by the Chino-wa ring (religious ring)

People relaxing at the shrine

A photo shoot just after a wedding

An international marriage

The shrine gate between two buildings

Beautiful hydrangeas on the shrine grounds

When Tokugawa Ieyasu set up the Bakufu government (Shogunate) in Edo, Hie-jinja was enshrined inside of Edo Castle (modern day Imperial Palace) as a guard against evil spirits. In 1659, the fourth Shogun Ietsuna moved it to its current location. Hie-jinja is also known as San-no-sama, and has a big biennial festival (San-no Matsuri) on June 15. People visit this shrine wishing for a happy marriage life, the blessing of children, and a safe delivery. The Pair of Monkeys seen at the shrine symbolizes those wishes.

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Tomoko Kamishima

By Tomoko Kamishima

Community writer

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