Ginza, a place where stories begin and end. Today, we uncover the tale of Hachikan-jinja Shrine. It is a small shrine with a big history.
Once, a gorgeously dressed woman came to pray at Hachikan-jinja Shrine. This area was once called Hachikan-cho. “Hachikan” might sound like a government title. But it actually comes from a Dutch person named Hachikuwan. He received land here in the early Edo period.
Hachikan-jinja Shrine is dedicated to an Inari god. It was built during the Genroku period from 1688 to 1704. Back then, it was called Kokuho Inari. People later renamed it Hachikan Shrine. This was after Hachikan-cho.
The shrine also enshrines a princess. Her name is Kagahime Inari. Heishiro Tanaka brought her here. He was a village administrator. The Kagahime Goddess was worshiped by his family for generations. Many geisha lived in Hachikan-cho. They prayed to Kagahime-sama.
Kaga-cho was next to Hachikan-cho. Workers from Kaga-no-kuni built Kaga-cho. That is now Ishikawa Prefecture. Kagahime Inari likely came from Kaga-no-kuni too. Kokuho Inari stood in the same place for a long time. It was along Sotobori Dori. Now, it is on a street in the back. But Hachikan-jinja Shrine has remained in Ginza.
Until about twenty years ago, Hachikan-jinja Shrine faced the main street. It was in the same building where it is today. The shrine used to have a two-story ceiling. The entire shrine fit inside. Redevelopment caused it to move to the back. The shrine lost its resident Shinto priest. The space became a shop for rent.
The deity was moved to Shiba Dai-jingu. You can find a miniature shrine of Hime Inari there. There is a Grand Festival every June. Many people visit Hachikan-jinja Shrine. They pray for good luck with the Takarakuji lottery. Houkoku Inari and Kagahime-sama have survived in Ginza. The building owner maintained the shrine. We can reflect on the local history because of it. Hachikan-jinja Shrine’s story shows how it managed to stay in the area. It moved around to survive.