Japan, and Tokyo in particular, has no shortage of interesting and fascinating places. There is usually far too much to see and discover and on a first visit you usually don't manage to fully grasp everything around you. And that's why during my stay in the Land of the Rising Sun, I was drawn to many of these interesting and fascinating places a second time and I was usually just as amazed the second time as I was on my first visit. Even though I also like to explore new places, it's great fun to explore familiar places with a little more time and muse, going into a little more detail and immersing yourself more deeply in the atmosphere around you.
And that's exactly what happened to me on a spring visit to the Japanese capital, where I had given us a pretty well-balanced program. Our radius may not have been very large in the end, but we got to see a lot within that specific range. Probably because I was already a bit familiar with the area, I ended up knowing pretty well where I wanted to go and where it would be worth stopping by.
That was also the reason why I had chosen Nezu-Jinja 根津神社 as a destination where I was keen to take my little team. We had already arrived on the last day of our short journey, but we still had a few hours left, which I wanted to make the most of. We had locked our luggage in the station and set off once again on a longer walk that took us north out of Ueno Park towards Yanesen.
I had already been there a few years ago and my path had led me to this very shrine, which we are heading for again this time.
Nezu Shrine is located in the Bunkyō district of Tokyo and is one of the oldest and culturally most important Shintō sites in the city. The district in which the shrine is located belongs to the so-called Shita-machi 下町, the traditional old town district of Tokyo. Although this area has also arrived in modern times, it still forms a fascinating contrast to the modern metropolis that Tokyo has become today. The term literally means “lower town” and refers to the historic, low-lying districts east of the Sumida River, which were inhabited by craftsmen, merchants and artists during the Edo period. These districts still retain the flair of old Tokyo with narrow alleyways, traditional stores, temples and shrines.
The shrine was founded around 1,900 years ago and was originally built in the Sendagi district. Later, under the fifth Tokugawa shogun Tsunayoshi in 1705, it was moved to its current location. Before the separation of Shintō and Buddhism, it was also known as Nezu Gongen and parts of its architecture show the Buddhist-influenced Gongen building style. During the Edo period, the shrine became an important spiritual center and many of the buildings that still stand today are recognized as Japan's precious cultural properties.
We approached through the large main toori, which for some unknown reason I had skipped on my first visit. Well, that means there was some new territory for me to discover here too.
The romon, the main gate, is built in the Buddhist style and, as usual, has an inaccessible upper floor. These elements of Buddhist architecture are also often found in Shinto shrines. There is also a small bridge in front of the gate, which makes it a popular attraction and photo spot at the shrine.
The gate is guarded by two Zuishin, kami warrior guards equipped with bows and arrows. It was built in 1706 and is now designated as an important cultural asset.
The water basin for ritual hand cleansing is also decorated with the Buddhist sun symbol, which is quite unusual for a Shinto shrine, at least for me. But why not, anything is possible in Japan.
Now we are already in front of the main building, the Honden, where the main deities of the shrine are worshipped. It is an impressive example of the Gongen architectural style that was popular during the Edo period.
The honden is decorated with red lacquer and features ornate carvings that reflect Buddhist influences, and it is one of the few shrine buildings in Tokyo still in its original state dating back to 1705.
The main hall is surrounded by a sukibei fence that demarcates the inner area. Built under the fifth Tokugawa shogun Tsunayoshi, it is one of Japan's important cultural properties and a rare example of a shrine that has retained its original structure despite the modernization of Tokyo. As mentioned, it dates back to 1705, making it over 300 years old.
We were in town just in time for the sakura season, which is why this Koma-Inu, the lion dog that is supposed to keep away evil and trouble from the shrine, is allowed to present itself in front of a wonderfully blossoming cherry tree.
The whole area was quite spacious, so the other visitors who were here with us at the shrine on this day didn't really have to step on each other's toes. I usually prefer to have a bit of space and peace and quiet when I explore places like this one.
There were still a few side shrines to discover on the shrine grounds, which of course I didn't want to miss out on. And this red toori in front of me was too inviting for me not to want to go any further.
Some side shrines are dedicated to the deity Inari, who is one of the most famous deities of Shintōism and is often referred to as the fox god. Inari is the deity of rice, fertility, prosperity, tea, sake and agriculture and can be found all over Japan.
Here we stand in front of another highlight of the Nezu shrine, the Toori tunnel.
These many small red torii gates belong to the Otome Inari Shrine, and the sight of them is almost as impressive as the famous Fushimi Inari-Taisha in Kyoto.
Here is the other end of the Toori Tunnel, which looks even more interesting from this side.
The shrine building of the Otome Inari Shrine is located right in the middle of the Toori Tunnel and is guarded by two small fox statues.
If you turn around here, you can see the main building of the Nezu shrine in the background, and ultimately the two shrines seem to belong together or merge directly into one another.
On the other side, there were even more foxes to discover. Behind these two Tooro, there was another side shrine, in front of which a whole pack of foxes were romping around.
Not only on the left-hand side, but also ...
...on the right-hand side, a number of foxes had made themselves at home guarding this sacred place. The fox deity Inari was quite well represented here and I therefore showed my best side and repeatedly paid my respects to her.
It was really fun to visit this interesting place. Fortunately, religion in Japan is not as regimented and strict as it can be in other cultures. This is particularly noticeable in the healthy symbiosis between Shintoism and Buddhism, which seem to complement each other quite well in the lives of the people of Japan. And the Japanese themselves also seem to have come to terms with these two religions quite well and have integrated them almost automatically and sometimes almost unnoticed into their everyday lives.
I can also get a lot out of this symbiosis and although I am not religious myself, I like to visit places like the Nezu Shrine. I like to be welcomed and guided by this special, intense atmosphere and try to take a little new energy with me from here, which can carry me through the next tasks that lie ahead for me too.
And that is precisely why I will probably visit one of the many shrines and temples again soon and have a look around. And while I'm there, I'll also stop and reflect a little and try to really understand the place I'll be in.
And I'll be happy to tell you about it here afterwards. So be sure to check back here soon for new impressions and pictures from Japan, the land of the rising sun...
[//]:# (!worldmappin 35.71998 lat 139.76071 long A second visit to Nezu Shrine 👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan d3scr)
[//]:# (!worldmappin 35.71998 lat 139.76071 long A second visit to Nezu Shrine 👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan d3scr)
