Chiyoda

There are thousands of shrines and temples in Tokyo. Many are listed in tourist guides but it is impossible to visit them all in a week. Hie-Jinja was not our destination but was on our way so why not stop. Sometimes coincidence does things well and you can discover original places like this one. Even if at the time of our visit the site was vacant, this shrine is one of the most popular in Tokyo due to its proximity to the residence of the Prime Minister and the government offices of the Diet.

For a foreign visitor, there are a few notable features we noticed that were different: the monkey statues, the museum, and the torii gates.

First, don’t let the fact that the site is on a hill stop you.  An exterior escalator is available at one of the three access points. If you can walk the stairs, another access has a nice series of vermilion orange torii gates (it is said there are 90 steps, but I didn’t count them) that take us to the shrine.

We noticed that several Shinto shrines are often protected by deities whose messengers or protectors are represented by fox statues. Here, the Hie Shrine has the particularity of being surrounded by monkey statues. We understood on our return that the main kami deity venerated is the god of Mount Hiei named Oyamakui-no-kami whose spiritual messenger is the monkey and is a protector.

The Hie Shrine was built by Ōta Dōkan, a Japanese samurai lord and poet who became a priest in 1478. The original shrine was on the site of Edo Castle, but in 1607 it was moved to be accessible to all, although not on the current grounds, but in Kojimachi Hayabusacho. Unfortunately, the great Meireki Fire of 1657 destroyed it, and in 1659 it was rebuilt on the current premise by Tokygawa Ietsuna. Since 1868, the year that the new emperor selected Edo (Tokyo) as his residence, the Hie Shrine has been closely linked to the imperial family, but the bombings of World War II of 1945 did not spare it, and it was rebuilt again in 1958.

Another interesting feature is the Homotsuden Museum, which translates to “treasure house” which is open on Tuesdays and Fridays and houses a collection of artifacts, including swords linked to the Togugawa shogunate period.

At the Hie Shrine site, you can also admire secondary shrines: Sanno Inari Shrine (with horse paintings and whose wooden structure survived the bombings of World War II), Sarutahiko Shrine, and Yasaka Shrine.

In even-numbered years, during June, a large festival is held at this sanctuary: Sanno Matsuri. This large traditional festival includes an impressive parade that walks through the city’s streets including the imperial grounds.

See the amulets and votive tablets (ema). Some options are in a cute shape or have an image of a monkey.

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