It’s mentioned that bonafide official shrines needs to be situated ‘on the earth underneath the sky’ however there are a good few which don’t meet such standards together with two of Japan’s hottest ones; Meiji Jingū and Fushimi Inari. There isn’t any regulation saying that they have to be recognised by the Affiliation of Shinto Shrines so it’s not so uncommon I feel. This rooftop one in Tokyo although has a novel means of connecting to earth.
Earlier this yr I used to be watching a TV present on NHK after I heard them point out a shrine I recognised the identify of. It was in Ginza and was one which I had in fact visited for the Chūō-ku leg of my biking round each Inari shrine in Tokyo’s 23 wards journey. Nevertheless, what I by no means realised again in 2020 was that the shrine in query wasn’t simply situated on the bottom but additionally on the rooftop of the buiding inside which it’s enshrined.
Photograph taken on Friday the thirteenth (Nov 2020)
Asahi-Inari Shrine (3-8-12 Ginza, Chuo-ku) has only a small torii gate and altar at road degree however the aforementioned TV present (‘Cool Japan‘ on NHK World) had a function about how it’s nonetheless linked to nature regardless of being on high of an eight-storey constructing. I lastly bought spherical to going to see it for myself just a few months in the past and bought greater than I bargained for.
Discover the shrine flags on high of the buiding
On the bottom ground, little or no had modified within the three and a bit years since my preliminary go to.
A number of steps not far away took me to the doorway of the constructing.
Seeing the signage in English was a shock as I actually didn’t suppose this little shrine could be a spot any vacationers go to. I couldn’t have been extra improper as I discovered on high.
It actually wasn’t packed or something loopy like that. In actual fact there was only one Taiwanese man there who I bought speaking to earlier than he requested me if I used to be there due to ‘Weathering With You‘ (2019).
The lightbulb then went off in my head. I haven’t seen too many animated movies however I had really seen this one, and in true anime vogue, it included a rooftop scene. In actual fact the film, often known as ‘Tenki no ko‘ in Japanese, has a number of rooftop scenes with Asahi Inari-Shrine serving because the inspiration for them. For these , the timecodes for these scenes are 2, 24, 58, 76, 88 and 93 minutes.
The animation, written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, was the comply with as much as ‘Kimi no Na wa‘ (a.okay.a. ‘Your Title‘). In ‘Weathering With You‘, Hina will get linked to the sky on the roof of the constructing and equally this shrine can be linked to the earth however how? Regardless of its elevation, the shrine is linked by a pipe going from the roof to the ground. Nothing too uncommon about that as most buildings have such pipes however this one is stuffed with soil thereby making it a very distinctive means of linking to earth. Whether or not you settle for that as credible is as much as you I assume! I’ve to say I did roll my eyes a bit after I heard about it!
As for the remainder of the shrine, it’s not fairly as aesthetically pleasing because the animated model however nonetheless it’s a fairly cool means of accessing it.
The primary corridor is slighly hidden by some potted vegetation and slightly below ten pink flags.
It’s a fundamental altar with a pink torii gate and two lanterns in entrance. There are a few small white fox collectible figurines on show.
Ginza may be very a lot a purchasing district however if you need a break from that then this rooftop shrine is an fascinating place which is in contact with each the bottom and the sky!
Bonus: This Shusse Jizo Guardian Deity was unearthed on this space of Ginza within the early Meiji period (1868 – 1912). It symbolizes luck, success in life, lengthy life and prosperity in enterprise. It’s situated in Mimeguri Shrine which is on the rooftop terrace backyard of neighbouring constructing Mitsukoshi Ginza (4-6-16 Ginza, Chuo-ku) which is a big division retailer. Mimeguri means circle 3 times and, in accordance with folklore, a holy white fox circled this shrine 3 times in the course of the ceremony of reconstruction within the yr 840.
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