Sumidagawa Shrine, Shinto shrine in Japan
Sumidagawa Shrine is a Shinto shrine on the bank of the Sumida River in Tokyo, made up of simple wooden structures arranged along an L-shaped path that leads to the main prayer hall. Several smaller secondary shrines and stone figures are also scattered across the grounds.
The shrine was originally known as Suijingu and honored water-related deities for around 700 years. During the Meiji era, government orders replaced the enshrined deity, shifting the spiritual focus of the place entirely.
The stone turtle statues on the grounds are rubbed by visitors hoping for healing, a habit that people in the neighborhood still keep today. This practice makes the turtles the most worn objects on the entire site.
The shrine is within walking distance of both Kanegafuchi and Honjo Azumabashi stations. A short walk east from either one leads directly to the entrance torii gate.
One of the stone turtles on the grounds has been rubbed so often over the years that its shape now resembles a matamata turtle, a South American species. This change was never planned but happened gradually through contact with generations of visitors.
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