Next to Shingan-ji temple a few minutes' walk from the station in Tokyo's trendy Shimokitazawa district, Kitazawa Hachiman is a pleasant hillside shinto shrine. The main hall is attractively decorated, but the main point for me was the numerous miniature side shrines; even though they are small, they are adorned with carvings as intricately detailed as on full-sized buildings, trees and birds, flowers, lions and dragons. There's also a side hall with a beautiful painted screen on display (behind a window which makes it impossible to photograph).
- 1 min read
Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine in Tokyo
Enjoy detail and craftsmanship in Shimo-kitazawa
By Peter Sidell
Community writer
Airborne guardians
The main gate from the street
A wooden lantern by the steps up to the halls
Prayer boards
One of the little side shrines
The main hall
Detailed carvings on a side shrine
A komainu guardian lion
Another little side shrine
Decoration on the main hall
Another of the many miniature side shrines
And a komainu guardian wolf
More intricate detail
The carvings are painstakingly elaborate
A side hall
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Anonymous
9 years ago
nice pictures!
Thank you!
2 comments in total
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