Akagi Shrine — Attraction in Tokyo

With 700 history Akaki Jinja Shrine has been the local Shinto worship center for Ushigome-Kagurazaka, Shinjuku, residents. It was rebuilt a few times because fire accident in 1842 and because of war burn in 1945.

Current Jinja/ shrine's main worship hall structure was created in 2010 after Akaki Jinja Shrine shut down its kindergarten, a financing resource for the Shrine and after residential apartments at Jinja's own land co-development deal with Mitsui Real Estate, because lack of students due to demographic change. Because of joint project venture with Mitsui Real Estate, new Jinja Complex and its Apartment Realty project do earn positive recognition for their designs and real-estate utilization. Probably, Akaki Jinja Shrine creates a new financing model for the financing resource and better survival ability for the shrine, when many other shrines in nearby are relying on selling burial lots for the deceased.

There is a cafe inside the Jinja complex. Jinja is free for entry, and is at the center...

This Shinto shrine itself is small but the architecture of the shrine is something to see. Was designed by Kengo Kuma who designed the new Olympic stadium. The structure is stark and simple, reminiscent of Japanese sukiya style buildings( traditional tea house) but modern with stainless steel and glasses. The stark, tutonic, minimalist style is curiously fitting to the shrine. Or points out the similarities of traditional shrine architecture and modern Bauhaus style. Good example of what modern Japan is. Good place to visit alone or with small group and ponder upon Zen gardens and Apple...

A small, but beautiful shrine. The architecture is more modern than most shrine because it's designed by Kengo Kuma, a prominent Japanese architect.

The site also includes a café and charm shop, which sells good luck charming that is also cuter than most shrines.

To maximize your visit, download DiG Japan, the official app of Japan tourism. On various spots in Akagi Shrine, there are QR codes. Scan these using the DiG Japan app for more info, like a digital tour guide. You can also find here a introductory greeting from the chief priest of...