Imagine stepping back in time. Imagine a place where clear springs once flowed freely. That place is the site of the Shimizu Inari Jinja.
The Shimizu Inari Jinja stands in Tokyo’s Itabashi district. It is a place of local history and enduring faith. The shrine’s origins are old. Details are scarce but its connection to the area’s water is strong.
Local lore says a spring once bubbled here. This spring provided clean water. It gave the Shimizu Inari Jinja its name. “Shimizu” means clear water.
The area around the Shimizu Inari Jinja was inhabited since the Jomon period. People used the spring for daily life and agriculture. Pilgrims on their way to Mount Fuji also used it. They refreshed themselves here.
The priest Jishoboin Daitsujo Keijun described the spring. He said that a son drinking it found water. His parents however would find delicious sake.
The Shimizu Inari Jinja was originally on higher ground. It was a small shrine about 10 feet high. Later it moved to its current location. It became the guardian shrine of Shimizu Village.
During World War II the shrine suffered damage. Air raids in 1945 destroyed the shrine office. Restoration began in the 1950s. The main shrine building survived. Its elegant wooden structure remains.
Inside the Shimizu Inari Jinja you will find smaller shrines. The Tokyo Jinja Meisatsu lists them. They are Kannahara Shrine. Also, Mikumari Shrine and Shinmei Shrine are located here. The exact location of these shrines is now unknown. They may now be enshrined within the main building.
Two ancient statues reside here. They date back to 1700 and 1794. A small stone shrine from 1919 is also placed near them.
The Shimizu Inari Jinja has a large Ginkgo tree. It is estimated to be around 500 years old. Until the Taisho era, villagers would wrap a straw dragon around it. They did this during rainmaking rituals. The tree’s canopy spreads widely. It shades the street.
A morning market occurs here. It is held on the second Sunday of each month. Locals come to buy and sell goods. This shows the shrine’s continued importance.
The Shimizu Inari Jinja embodies the spirit of the area. It links the past with the present. As you leave remember the clear waters. Remember the traditions that sustain this sacred place.