Did you know that Tamagawa Sengen Shrine has ties to Godzilla? This shrine is more than just a peaceful sanctuary. It blends ancient history with modern pop culture.
Tamagawa Sengen Shrine is the tutelary deity of Den-en-chofu in Ota-ku, Tokyo. It stands on a hill overlooking the Tamagawa River. On a clear day, you can even see Mount Fuji from here.
Legend says Tamagawa Sengen Shrine began about 800 years ago. Minamoto no Yoritomo went to battle. His wife, Masako, worried about him. She searched for him but hurt her foot near the Tamagawa River.
Masako climbed Mount Kamenokoyama. From there, she saw Mount Fuji. She prayed to her guardian deity enshrined in Fujiyoshida’s Sengen Shrine. Masako wished her husband luck. She then built a Seikanzenon Bodhisattva statue. Villagers called it Fuji Sengen Daibosatsu Bodhisattva. They respected and worshiped it. Thus began Tamagawa Sengen Shrine.
In 1652, workers built a pass to Sengen Shrine. They found a Chinese copper statue of Daibosatsu Bodhisattva. It was under Mt. Fuji’s 9th station. After cleaning it in the Tamagawa River, they noticed a missing leg. The leg was fixed and the statue was enshrined. This Shinto ritual occurred on June 1. Every June, Tamagawa Sengen Shrine commemorates this event.
The deity enshrined here is Konohanasakuya Hime no Mikoto. She is as beautiful as a blooming cherry blossom. She is the daughter of the mountain god Oyamazumi no Kami. She married a grandchild of the sun-goddess Amaterasu. Amaterasu is the originator of the Japanese imperial family.
Long ago, this area was Shimonumabe village. Three shrines existed here. During the Meiji Restoration, the government consolidated them. Only one shrine could remain per village. So, all three merged into Tamagawa Sengen Shrine. Today, it has three crests. One is the three-legged Hidari Mitsudomoe. Another is a cherry blossom. The last is the three-legged Yata-no-Karasu crow. It is a messenger from the heavens.
In the 2016 film Shin Godzilla, Godzilla destroys the Maruko bridge. This blue bridge stood next to the shrine. The priests saw an opportunity. They sold wooden prayer boards featuring Godzilla.
Tamagawa Sengen Shrine sits beside the Tama River. The river marks the border between Tokyo and Kanagawa. Next to the shrine is Tamagawa Park. It features flower gardens and Kamenokoyama. An observatory offers river views. In autumn, gingko trees display bright yellow leaves. They look like tiny fans.
The original Sengen Shrine inspired Masako. It is the Asama Jinja near Lake Kawaguchi. It sits at the foot of Mount Fuji. It features married pines and a wooden horse statue. Tamagawa Sengen Shrine offers history, spirituality, and even a touch of Godzilla.