Asahi Inari Shrine

Since ancient times, Asahi Inari Shrine has maintained its location, has been worshipped warmly as a guardian deity, and has attracted reverence from near and far. However, the shrine building was destroyed by the Ansei great earthquakes and was submerged in the Sanjikkenhori. Since then, the location of the shrine fell into disrepair and became unrecognizable from the vagrancy that surrounded it.

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As a result of the tsunami that struck Ginza in 1917, an entity appeared from the Sanjikkenhori, and priest Tateoka from the construction industry was enshrined in this location. However, the Great Kanto earthquake forced a transfer, as the shrine became a place of worship for the town council of Ginza 3-chome. All worshippers in the town were in awe and reverence of the divine power of the deity and attempted to worship it as the guardian deity of the town, but the shrine’s land was then incorporated as land owned by the municipality of Tokyo, which would manage it. The worshippers from 3-chome visited the deputy mayor of Tokyo at the time and made an earnest request, which was rejected, for the shrine’s land to be returned. However, they received tacit permission to use the land, built the shrine building, and arranged the shrine’s land. Hatsu-uma was celebrated splendidly, and festivals attracted as many people as the Shusse Jizo-son in 4-chome. In this way, the shrine expressed immense divine virtues as a guardian deity of the town, but the shrine building was reduced to ashes during the war.

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The shrine building was rebuilt after the war and became Asahi Inari Shrine, a religious corporation, in 1953. Since then, it has been worshipped warmly by the town council of 3-chome, while its divine power has continued to grow, as it universally protects its believers.

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Due to the reconstruction of the neighboring Daiko building in 1983, it was decided that a shared building would be constructed. The 1st and 2nd floors of a portion of the building would serve as an open hall of worship (haiden), while the main sanctuary (honden) would be located on the rooftop. Both are connected to the land through pipes. As a result, worship at the hall would reach the main sanctuary. It became a shrine that is worthy of Ginza, which is ahead of its times.

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A grand festival is held on hatsu-uma every year, and many worshippers outside of Ginza 3-chome visit the shrine as part of the Ginza Haccho Shrines during the Dai Ginza Matsuri.

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Although it may be most famous for the business prosperity it brings as a deity of business, it has not suffered fire damage since being established in its location, and its divine power does not only stop at match-making and harmony in the household.