Tokyo Daijingu

Tokyo Daijingu: “The Ise Shrine of Tokyo,” enshrined in the heart of the city

■ History and Origins
Tokyo Daijingu was founded in 1880 (Meiji 13) with imperial approval from Emperor Meiji as a remote worship hall for Ise Jingu. At the time of its founding, it stood in Hibiya, Chiyoda City, Tokyo, and was known as “Hibiya Daijingu.”

After the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, it was relocated in 1930 (Showa 5) to its present site in Iidabashi (Fujimi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo). It was then called “Iidabashi Daijingu,” and after the war its name was changed to the present “Tokyo Daijingu.”

Tokyo Daijingu has long been cherished as a place where people can fulfill the age-old Edo-period dream of an “Ise pilgrimage” without leaving Tokyo, and it is still revered by many as “the Ise Shrine of Tokyo.”

■ Deities Enshrined
The following deities are enshrined at Tokyo Daijingu:

◎ Deities of Ise Jingu
Amaterasu Omikami
The great ancestral deity of the Japanese people and the principal deity of the Inner Shrine of Ise Jingu.

Toyouke Omikami
The deity of agriculture, clothing, food, housing, and industry, and the principal deity of the Outer Shrine of Ise Jingu.

Yamatohime-no-Mikoto
The sacred attendant who conveyed Amaterasu Omikami’s divine will, and a deity involved in the founding of the shrine.

◎ The Three Creation Deities (the deities of musubi, or “bonding”)
Ame-no-Minakanushi-no-Kami

Takamimusubi-no-Kami

Kamimusubi-no-Kami

These deities govern the creation and generation of all things in heaven and earth, as well as the power of connection, and are widely revered as deities of matchmaking and good relationships.

■ The Birthplace of Shinto Weddings
Tokyo Daijingu is also known as the shrine where Japan’s first Shinto wedding ceremony was held in 1900 (Meiji 33). This traditional wedding ceremony continues to be solemnly conducted today by priests, shrine maidens, and musicians, making it a popular venue for formal and elegant weddings.

The adjoining “Matsuya Salon” is also widely known as a venue for Shinto wedding ceremonies, and many couples still exchange vows here to this day.

■ Popularity as a Power Spot for Matchmaking
Tokyo Daijingu is extremely popular as a shrine for romantic fulfillment and a power spot for matchmaking, attracting a steady stream of visitors—especially young women—who pray for love and good relationships.

Within the grounds, visitors can find charms such as “matchmaking amulets,” “love fortune slips,” and “monthly floral prayer ema plaques,” allowing them to enjoy the experience while praying for blessings. Despite being surrounded by office buildings in the heart of the city, the grounds offer a serene, forest-like atmosphere akin to a sacred grove, where one can calm the mind and make prayers in peace.

■ Auxiliary Shrine: Iitomi Inari Shrine
Within the grounds of Tokyo Daijingu stands Iitomi Inari Shrine, an old auxiliary shrine with a long history.
Its principal deities are:

Inari Okami

Otokonushi Okami

This shrine is revered for blessings in clothing, food, housing, business prosperity, and the flourishing of one’s family enterprise, and it is also known as a shrine of the performing arts. There is even an anecdote that Danjuro Ichikawa IX was a devotee, and many people involved in the arts also visit to pray here.

■ Blessings and Faith
The blessings of Tokyo Daijingu extend far beyond matchmaking, encompassing a wide range of benefits such as:

Successful relationships and romantic fulfillment
Family safety and peace
Prosperity in business
Good fortune and protection from misfortune
Traffic safety
Academic success, and more