Kameido Tenjin Shrine

photo by 御粥 · CC BY-SA 3.0

‘Tokyo ichi no fuji meisho’: 50+ wisteria trellises over the heart-shaped pond

The shrine dates from 1662, when a descendant of Dazaifu Tenmangū in Kyūshū reproduced its layout here: two red arched bridges (太鼓橋) over a pond shaped like the character 心 (heart). The scenery became a recurring subject in Hiroshige's ukiyo-e prints. In April more than 50 wisteria trellises cover the walkways, lit up in the evening during the Fujimatsuri.

Founded in 1662 on the model of Dazaifu Tenmangū shrine in Kyūshū, and dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, god of culture and learning, whose original shrine is Dazaifu. The layout, with its two arched bridges and heart-shaped pond, deliberately echoes that of the mother shrine.

ℹ️ The grounds are open 24 hours a day; the office for amulets and stamps (社務所) is open 6:00–17:00. During the Fujimatsuri the paths narrow with the crowds of photographers, and the stepped bridge, steep and narrow, becomes a bottleneck; out of season the shrine is quiet and can be visited in about 20 minutes, according to the official site. Accessibility rated low by reviews, because of the stepped bridge.

🚉 Kameido · 13 min walk

Sources: kameidotenjin-sha.jp

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