Yoyogi Hachimangu Shrine — Attraction in Tokyo

境内のすぐわきに首都高速があり、終日頻繁に車が行き来しているにもかかわらず、この神社の境内はまるで喧騒を感じないくらいに静まり返っている。目と鼻の先に代々木公園と明治神宮があり、この両所は平日休日問わず多くの訪問者がいるが、初詣や祭事でもない限り、この神社に訪れる人は休日ですらも少ない。都心に近い隠れたスポットと言えよう。 とは言え、境内はそれ程広くなく、周遊するだけであれば1時間も必要ない。境内の鳥居と拝殿を結ぶ参道は石畳で整備されているが、参道以外にも道はあるものの全て整備されているわけではなく、特に雨の日はぬかるみができ、且つ足を滑らせやすいことに注意が必要である。 1950年に、境内において縄文時代の建物跡が発見され、竪穴式住居が復元されたものが展示されている。但し、復元された住居は柵に覆われ、常時立ち入ることが出来ない。

Despite the fact that the Metropolitan Expressway is right next to the shrine precincts, and cars come and go frequently throughout the day, the shrine grounds are so quiet that one does not feel the bustle of the highway. Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine are just a stone's throw away, both of which attract many visitors on weekdays and holidays, but unless it is Hatsumode or a festival, few people visit this shrine, even on holidays. It's a hidden spot close to the city center. However, the shrine grounds are not that large, and it does not take more than an hour just to walk around. The approach between the shrine's torii gate and the hall of worship is paved with cobblestones, but although there are other paths, not all of them are well maintained, and visitors should be aware that they can become muddy and slippery, especially on rainy days. In 1950, the remains of a Jomon-era building were discovered in the precincts of the temple, and a reconstructed pit dwelling is on display. However, the restored dwelling is covered by a fence and is not accessible...

I’ve always been curious about how different religions and their places of worship vary—though I’m not even sure if “temple” is the right word for all of them. This shrine was one of the highlights of our stay in Tokyo. It’s a small, cozy local spot where you can see people from the neighborhood stop by in the morning to quietly pay their respects before starting their day. It felt authentic and peaceful—very different from the more...

Beautiful place. Very serene.

If the guy I met on a bench, Norio, who is making a tour guide for scenes from the movie Perfect Days ever sees this, please tell him to email Outta Wax Records (Sara Pette; we all met at this shrine) in Minneapolis MN, USA. I would love to talk to him more! But I live in Minneapolis and don’t know how...