Drawn to marriage and good fortune? Then you’ve arrived at the right place. This is Tokyo Daijingu. It is more than just a shrine. It is a place where tradition and hope intertwine.
Tokyo Daijingu is affectionately called “O-Ise-sama in Tokyo”. This is because of its enshrined deities. It includes Amaterasu-Sume-Ohkami. She is the ancestral deity of the Imperial Family and the tutelary deity of all Japanese.
Toyouke-no-Ohkami is also enshrined here. She is the guardian deity of agriculture, industry, clothing, food and housing. These deities are also enshrined in the Grand Shrine of Ise. Yamatohime-no-mikoto is also here. She is the founder of the Inner Shrine of the Grand Shrine of Ise.
Tokyo Daijingu also enshrines three deities. They are in charge of the creation and growth of all things. These deities include the virtue of togetherness. This makes Tokyo Daijingu a popular shrine for those seeking a good marriage. Visits by young people have steadily increased.
Back in the Edo era from 1603 to 1867 every Japanese person wished to visit the Grand Shrine of Ise. Here Amaterasu-Sume-Ohkami and other deities were enshrined. A new shrine was built in Tokyo in 1880. Emperor Meiji approved it. This allowed people in Tokyo to worship the deities of the Grand Shrine of Ise from afar.
Initially, it was called “Hibiya Daijingu”. This name came from the area where it was located. The Kanto Earthquake led to its relocation in 1928 to Iidabashi. It was then renamed “Iidabashi Daijingu”.
After World War II, its name changed to “Tokyo Daijingu”. People from Tokyo and the Kanto area have piously worshipped here ever since. Tokyo Daijingu holds another distinction. It was the first to establish the Shinto wedding ceremony in Japan. Today, this ceremony is widely performed throughout the country.
Each year, Tokyo Daijingu observes several main annual festivals. These include the New Year’s Day Festival on January 1st. The Coming-of-Age Festival is on the second Monday of January. The Annual Grand Festival takes place on April 17th. The Harvest Festival is on November 23rd.
As you leave Tokyo Daijingu may you carry with you a sense of hope. May your journey be filled with good fortune and lasting love.