Do you feel it? That hushed whisper of the breeze washing over you like water. Right here, in the simple neighborhood of Okusawa, lies a hidden treasure: the Okusawa Shrine.
Okusawa Shrine offers a tranquil escape from Tokyo’s energetic pulse. It is a testament to Japan’s unique ability to find deities in every corner of life. The shrine dates back to the Muromachi period. Imagine centuries of history embedded within these very grounds.
Legend says that in 1326, land was given to the Kira samurai clan. They were from Ōshū Province. The Kira clan built a castle between 1555 and 1570. But the castle was short-lived. It was torn down in 1590. The Kira clan had backed the losing side in the civil war. This war brought the Tokugawa to power. A shrine called Hachiman Sha was erected along with the castle. It served as the guardian deity for eastern Setagaya.
During the Edo period, a plague struck. Many people died. The Hachiman Kami appeared to the village headman in a dream. The deity advised him to create a long rope resembling a snake. The villagers paraded this rope around the village. Miraculously, the epidemics ceased. In 1909, Hachiman Sha became Okusawa Shrine. This happened when Koyasu Inari Jinja was merged with it. The main hall was remodeled in 1912 and again in 1970. A new stone torii replaced the old wooden one in 1939.
The visually striking Daija, a huge snake, is curled around the torii gate. The snake is the centerpiece of the annual festival. Parishioners craft a new giant snake from straw every year on the first Sunday of September. The previous year’s snake is removed from storage. It then adorns the torii. The newly made snake undergoes ceremonial purification on the second Saturday of September. It is paraded around town before being returned to the main hall.
Interestingly, draping the snake around the torii was halted from 1939 to 1957. The reason? The new stone torii would give the snake a cold stomach. The real reason was probably a shortage of straw. As of 2007, the straw came from Fukushima Prefecture.
Behind Okusawa Shrine, you will find the Cave of the Dragon. It provides the snake at the entrance with its serpentine spine. The air here is filled with the music of rustling leaves. Each droplet of water is like the beginning of a rainy-day symphony.
As you leave Okusawa Shrine, carry its peace with you. Let it be the start of your discovery of other similar shrines tucked away across Japan.