Asagaya Shinmeiguu Shrine

阿佐ヶ谷　神明宮

● Address :　1-25-5 Asagaya,　Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-0001

〒166-0001 東京都杉並区阿佐谷北1-25-5
● Transportation : Asagaya (阿佐ヶ谷 - Tokyo JR Chuo Line)

● Web : [https://shinmeiguu.com/] (in japanese) or great [Suginami sightseeing website] (in english)

● Entry fees : free
● Event : Kan Okai with dance and songs during cherry blossom season

● Goshuin : Ok (300￥~1000￥)

● Stamp : No

☆ This shinto shrine has a rare large ground sourounded by tall trees that would almost make you forget that you are only 2 minutes away from Asagaya station and its busy shopping streets.

Shinmeiguu shrine is old. It was the former Shrine of Asagaya old village.

This place enshrines the goddess Amaterasu (Amaterasu Omikami)

The story says that the legendary Prince Yamato Takeru (72-114?) took a rest in the shrine on his way to fight invaders. The prince Yamato takeru is counted as the 12th emperor of Japan. Since then, Shinmeigu is devoted to the goddess Amaterasu (Amaterasu Omikami) : goddess of the Imperial family end of the sun.

You can go to this temple to pray and remove bad luck. There is also a market hel there every first saturday of each month. And the place is used for many traditionnal wedding ceremony and other events. That's a very lively temple.

★Very close to the station Asagaya, this Shinto Shrine has quite a huge ground compared to many temples in Tokyo. When you pass the big Tori in stones you can let yourself be surrounded by the nature and the sound of the wind in the tall trees all around you.

The Goshuin are ~~expensive~~ beautiful... and expensive but really beautiful. You have 2 special goshuin for each season embroided on a weaved paper.

Seems to be nice during Cherry Blossom Sakura season

★ 8/10