Mita Hachiman Jinja, Shinto shrine in Japan
Mita Hachiman Jinja is a small Shinto shrine in Minato-ku with simple, well-maintained buildings surrounded by long-standing trees that create a calm space. The site includes a main hall, smaller shrines dedicated to other deities like Inari, wooden gates in bright colors, and stone lanterns and fox statues along the pathways.
The shrine was founded in 709 and has a history spanning about 1,300 years, with origins linked to the protection of the Tokoku region. After being destroyed by bombing in 1945, it was fully restored by 1954 while preserving its original architectural character.
The shrine brings together local residents, especially during the August festival when families perform traditional dances and share good wishes with one another. Visitors can observe people leaving wooden wish tags and purifying themselves at the water basin, showing how age-old customs remain woven into daily life.
The shrine is about a ten-minute walk from Tamachi Station and accessible via the Mita Line with an exit at Mita Station. Visitors should walk slowly, purify their hands at the water basin, and treat the sacred space respectfully.
The shrine preserves a pair of koma-inu dog statues at the entrance to the prayer hall dating from 1696 and among the oldest in the Kanto region. A less noticed feature is the annual kettle ringing ritual rooted in the Edo period, where the sound of boiling water signals a time for prayer and reflection.
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