Kanda Myōjin

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Honden (main hall) of Kanda Myojin
Zuishinmon
Copper Torii and the Zuishinmon

The Kanda Myōjin ( Japanese 神 田 明 神 ), formerly called Kanda-jinja ( Japanese 神 田 神社 ), is a Shinto shrine in the Soto-Kanda district of the Chiyoda district , Tokyo . The history of the shrine dates back to 730. It was destroyed and rebuilt several times by fire and earthquake. It was one of the most important shrines of the Edo period ; both for the samurai and for ordinary people. Today the shrine is a national cultural asset and belongs to the Tōkyō-jissha .

history

The shrine was founded in the year 2 of the Tenpyo era (730 AD) in the fishing village of Shibasaki (near today's Ōtemachi district ). In 1603 the shrine was moved to Kanda so that it is closer to Edo Castle (predecessor of today's Imperial Palace ). In 1616, on the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu, it was relocated to its current location on a small hill near Akihabara .

The shrine was destroyed several times during its history by fire and earthquakes, most recently in 1923 by the great Kanto earthquake . In 1934 it was rebuilt; This time the buildings were made of concrete. Because of this, he survived the fire bombing raids on Tokyo during World War II . Individual building reconstructions continue to this day.

architecture

In front of the shrine, directly on the street, is a torii made of copper. The green patina makes it relatively inconspicuous. However, copper torii are rare; thus it is a special feature of this shrine.

From the torii a road leads to the entrance to the shrine grounds. Here is a two-story gate, the Zuishinmon. The gate was last reconstructed from cypress wood in 1995. The roof is built in the Irimoya style . The main building in its current form was built on in 1923. They are reconstructions from 1616 in the Gongen-Zukuri style . Buildings like the Zuishinmo are painted vermilion and have gold ornaments.

There are several statues and monuments on the site; including a statue of Daikokuten, a sculpture of Ebusi as he rides a great wave, and a monument in honor of Zenigata Heiji (see Trivia).

In an outbuilding there is a mikoshi that is shown every two years during the Kanda Matsuri. It cannot be visited outside of the Matsuri . The Kanda Myōjin Suehiro Inari Jinja ( 神 田 明 神 末 広 稲 荷 神社 ) shrine can also be found on the site .

Shrunken kami

Three kami are inscribed in the Kanda Myōjin : Daikokuten , Ebisu and Taira no Masakado .

Daikokuten and Ebisu are among the seven gods of luck. The shrine is therefore a popular pilgrimage site for business people who pray here for prosperity and economic success.

Taira no Masakado, the third Kami, was a samurai who rebelled against the Heian government. He is a central figure in the story of Kanda Myōjin. After his death in 940, his head was taken to Shibaraki, where he was valued by the local population for his anti-government stance. His spirit (Kami) was entrenched in the Kanda Myōjin so that his spirit would watch over the area. The rumor quickly arose that the area would punish with natural disasters and plagues if the shrine is not maintained and the Kami is angry as a result.

It is also said that Tokugawa Ieyasu had the shrine moved to its current location because he was uncomfortable with the proximity of the powerful kami.

During the Meiji period, the Kanda Myōjin was included in the group of Tōkyō-jissha . The Tenno hesitated with this decision, as the Masakado kami is a symbol of resistance to the government. The Tenno then ordered that the kami be removed from the shrine. However, the great popularity of Masakado among the population ensured that the spirit was returned to the Kanda Myōjin after the Second World War.

Festivals

The Kanda Matsuri is one of the three most important Shinto festivals in Tokyo (the other two are the Sannō Matsuri at Hie-jinja and the Fukagawa Matsuri at Tomioka Hachiman-gū in Kōtō ). Its tradition begins in 1600 with a festival that Tokugawa Ieyasu celebrated on the occasion of his victory in the Battle of Sekigahara . The festival had the status of a state celebration. Mikoshi (portable shrines) were carried in a parade into Edo Castle so that the shogun could watch the festivities. Nowadays the festival takes place on May 15th in odd years.

The second festival on Kanda Myōjin is Daikoku Matsuri in January, which lasts for three days.

Trivia

The shrine is the favorite hangout of Zenigata Heiji, a fictional policeman who throws coins to foil crimes. Heiji's guard district is Myōjinshita, which loosely translated means "area below (Kanda) Myōjin". There is a monument in his honor on the shrine.

photos

  • Zuishinmon

  • Torii and Zuishinmon by night

  • Zuishinmon by night

  • Monument to Zenigata Heiji

  • Honden and votive tablets

  • Details of the roof structure

  • Statue of Daikoku

  • Paper lanterns

  • Chōzuya Pavilion

  • Kanda Myōjin Suehiro Inari Jinja

location

The shrine area lies in a triangle formed by Hongo-Dori (or National Road 17), Kuramaehashidori of the federal highway 452. The main entrance is in the southwest of the site on road 17 and is opposite the Yushima Seido temple. Further entrances are in the east via one of the small side streets of road 452 and in the northwest just below the Kuramaehashidori.

The closest subway station is Suehiro-chō on the Ginza Line. Akihabara is the closest station on the Yamanote Line . Another transport hub nearby is the Ochanomizu station.

Web links

swell

Coordinates: 35 ° 42 ′ 7.1 ″  N , 139 ° 46 ′ 4.8 ″  E