Kanda Myojin Shrine is one of Tokyo's most historically important shrines. It also happens to host one of Japan’s three great festivals, and has a gorgeously decorated shrine gate, making it a must-visit when you're in the area.
Kanda Myojin Shrine - image © Florentyna Leow
Founded in 730, Kanda Myojin Shrine has at present a history of almost 1300 years, making it one of Tokyo’s oldest shrines. Most people visit the shrine to pray for prosperity and marriage, mostly because Kanda Myojin Shrine enshrines Daikokuten and Ebisu, the god of good harvest and matrimony, and fishermen and businessmen respectively.
Kanda Myojin Shrine - image © Florentyna Leow
Today, its proximity to Akihabara also makes it popular with tech geeks, and the shrine doesn’t hesitate to capitalize on that - they sell talismans to bless electronic devices to prevent harm from befalling them. Whether that actually works is, of course, debatable.
Kanda Myojin Shrine - image © Florentyna Leow
The shrine has a remarkably beautiful main gate. The zuishin-mon, as it’s called, many intricate carvings and colourfully-painted motifs on it, and it’s worth stopping underneath to look at them in detail.
Kanda Myojin Shrine - image © Florentyna Leow
Kanda Myojin Shrine also hosts one of Japan’s three great festivals, the Kanda Festival. Every odd-numbered year (e.g. 2017, 2019) around 15 May, they host a massive parade beginning and ending at the shrine, with over 200 mikoshi (portable shrines) as well as hundreds of dancers and musicians.
Kanda Myojin Shrine - image © Florentyna Leow
Kanda Myojin Shrine is open throughout the year and admission is free, making it a great stop when you’re in the area - and especially if you’re on a night stroll.
English name:
Kanda Myojin Shrine
Japanese name:
神田明神
English address:
2-16-2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0021
Japanese address:
〒101-0021 東京都千代田区外神田2-16-2
Opening hours:
24h
Admission:
free
Nearest Transport:
Train: 5-minute walk from the Hijiri-bashi exit of Ochanomizu Station on the JR Chuo and Sobu lines.
Subway: 5-minute walk from exit 3 of Suehirocho Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza line.
Nearest Hotels:
:: Check availability and pricing for hotels near Kanda Myojin Shrine on Booking.com or Agoda.com.
Telephone:
+81-3-3254-0753
Website:
Official Website (Japanese)
Near To Here:
Kanda Myojin Shrine is located in Tokyo's Akihabara, Kanda And Jimbocho districts. See our complete list of things to do in Tokyo's Akihabara, Kanda And Jimbocho districts, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
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- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Tokyo guide
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