People come to Ginza for its luxury shops and elegant cafes, but hidden in a small alley is a tiny shrine that might just grant you luck in career and romance.
What is an Inari Shrine?
In Shinto belief, Inari is the god of rice and cultivation. Inari is also often associated with the performing arts, prosperity, and fertility.
Shrines dedicated to Inari are often marked by a pair of fox statues. Foxes, or kitsune in Japanese, are believed to be the god’s spiritual messengers. You will also find offerings in the form of aburaage, deep-fried tofu, as they are said to be the kitsune’s favorite food.
Japan’s long history of agriculture gave birth to around 3,000 recorded Inari shrines, the number excluding roadside and other makeshift shrines that do not belong to a particular religious groups. Perhaps the most popular one in recent years is Fushimi Inari in Kyoto.
Toyoiwa Inari
Toyoiwa Inari is tucked in a narrow alleyway in Ginza, and with plenty of high-rise buildings in the area, it’s easy to miss. It’s hard to tell when the shrine was first established, but records show that people have gone to the shrine for fire protection since the Edo period (1603-1867).
The shrine is also known to Kabuki actors and the Showa period Ichimura Uzaemon (there is a line of actors who have adopted this name) was among its frequent visitors. The Kabukiza Theatre is also located in Ginza, and it seems that the practice continues today.
Toyoiwa Inari is also known as a shrine that grants visitors success in love and marriage. If you want divine intervention to help you find the perfect match or to strengthen your current relationship, this shrine might just help you.
Ginza Haccho Jinja Meguri
Every autumn, the district of Ginza holds an annual event where you get to go on a guided tour to visit the eleven “hidden shrines” of Ginza, small shrines tucked in alleyways and on rooftops of department stores. Check out the Ginza Official website for updates on this event.
How to Get to Toyoiwa Inari
Toyoiwa Inari Jinja (豊岩稲荷神社, とよいわ いなり じんじゃ)
Open 24 hours, the office is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays
5-minute walk from Ginza Station A2 Exit, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line
