About Akasaka Hikawa Shrine
Akasaka hikawa shrine has been worshiped for 'greater purification' and 'matchmaking' for more than 1,000 years since its establishment. Enduring numerous calamities, the building established by Yoshimune Tokugawa, the 8th Shogun of Edo preserves the appearance at the time of its erection to the present day.
Gosaijin (Enshrined Deities)
Gosaijin are the deities, or kami, enshrined at a Shinto shrine. Each of Japan's many shrines has its own unique Gosaijin. Akasaka Hikawa Shrine is dedicated to the following three deities:
Susanoo no Mikoto
Susanoo no Mikoto, the young brother of Amaterasu Oomikami enshrined at Ise Jingū, slayed Yamata no Orochi, the serpent with eight heads and eight tails. It tells that a sacred sword he obtained, Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, became one of the Japanese sacred treasures, known as Kusanagi no Tsurugi.
Kushiinada Hime no Mikoto
Kushiinada Hime no Mikoto embodies the spirit of abundance and fertility in agriculture. Following Susanoo no Mikoto's heroic rescue from the clutches of Yamata no Orochi, the two deities wed and established their palace in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture. It's said that during this period, Susanoo no Mikoto composed a waka poem - "Yakumo tatsu Izumo Yaegaki Tsumagomi ni Yaegaki tsukuru Sono yaegaki wo" - which is regarded as the origin of waka poetry.
Oonamudi no Mikoto (Ookuninushi no Mikoto)
Oonamudi no Mikoto is a descendant of Sussanoo no Mikoto and Kushiinada Hime no Mikoto, the same deity as Ookuninushi no Mikoto of Izumo Taisha Shrine. Promoting the development of the prosperous nation with Sukunabiko no Mikoto, a deity of the crop, mparted invaluable wisdom in various fields including agriculture, fishing, medicine, and cultivation.
Goshintoku (Divine Virtues)
Goshintoku refers to the divine virtues, blessings, and special powers a deity bestows upon worshipers. Each deity possesses a unique Goshintoku.The deities of Akasaka Hikawa Shrine are believed to grant blessings for protection from misfortune, atchmaking, safety and prosperity of the family, and business prosperity. They have been revered for these divine virtues since ancient times.
Foundation and History
The shrine's history dates back to 951, when the Buddhist priest Renrin, who was training in the area, spent a night in Hitotsugi Village (now near Akasaka 4-chome). In a dream, he received a divine message from the deity and built a shrine dedicated to Hikawa Myojin on this site.In 1066, a severe drought struck the region. When the suffering villagers prayed for rain at the shrine, it immediately began to rain, leading to regular religious ceremonies being performed there ever since.
In the middle of the Edo period, when Yoshimune Tokugawa became the 8th Shogun in 1716, the shogunate's reverence for Akasaka Hikawa Shrine grew. This was partly because the Tokugawa family had a residence in Akasaka.Shogun Yoshimune commissioned a new shrine building to be constructed at the current location. On April 26, 1730, the shrine was relocated from Hitotsugi Village, and two days later, on April 28, Shogun Yoshimune himself visited the site.
The shrine building has miraculously endured catastrophes such as the Ansei Great Earthquake (1855), the Kanto Great Earthquake (1923), and the Great Tokyo Air Raids (1945). Consequently, it still retains its original Edo period features and is designated as a Tokyo Metropolitan Area designated intangible cultural property. The shrine precinct is ensconced in dense greenery, adorned with Torii Gates, Stone Lanterns, and Komainu (shrine guardian dog statues), each bearing the engraving of the Edo period name. These venerable artifacts vividly evoke the spirit of the Edo era, rendering our shrine a rare gem in the Kanto region.