Table of Contents
Location:
Kotohira-gu is located in Toranomon. Toranomon is an area of Minato City, one of 23 special wards in Tokyo Metropolitan. The shrine is familiar as Toranomon Kotohira-gu to local people.
However, most international tourists call it the Toranomon Kotohira-gu shrine.
The shrine is one of the famous shrines in Toranomon because of its location and historical background. At the same time, most ministries are close to the shrine, and ministry work-related people often come here during their lunch break to visit the shrine.
The deity of the shrine is related to family safety, business prosperity, and maritime safety. It is not a Buddhist temple like Gotokuji temple or Nishihara Daishi and Sensoji temple, but luck is related to business prosperity.
Historical background:
According to history, the lord of Kyogoku Takakazu, lord of Marugame domain in Kagawa prefecture, established the Konpira shrine on Mount Zozu in 1660. Nineteen years later, in 1679, the shrine was relocated to Toranomon, where the shrine is located now.
It is better to mention here that Kagawa is one of Japan’s 50 prefectures, and Marugame is the second largest city of Kagawa prefecture. In the 17th century, lord Kyogoku Takakazu established the Konpira shrine on Mount Zozu, used to rule the area.
Present situation of the shrine:
But the shrine is hidden in Toranomon’s skyscrapers’ shadow nowadays. If you do not know there is a shrine, you may miss it. But if you know there is a shrine on the spot and go inside; you will find a magnificent shrine.
However, there is a way to find it quickly, and it is the main Tori Gate of the temple. The main Tori Gate is different from the usual tori gates. You can find two Torigates in the same place.
But if you go to near and look inside you will understand there is a shrine. Shrines usually keep some kinds of flags in front of the shrine, and you will see flags from the main Tori gate. Toranomon Kotohira-gu shrine is under a big building, but it is a lovely shrine.
Many people come and pray. Some people sit on the benches and take their lunch.
What to see inside:
Most of the shrine has some of the common elements in Japan. Most importantly, the Toranomon Kotohira-gu shrine does not have vast space or open space like other shrines. But it is not that it is not lovely. Instead, I thought it was an excellent shrine in Tokyo.
Toranomon is a bustling place. But the shrine is tranquil. Not only quiet but also very neat and clean.
Main shrine:
The main shrine will give you about the Japanese cultural experience. If it is your first time at a shrine in Japan, you will probably notice how greatly they designed the shrine.
Ground to the roof how beautifully they made wooden carve the temple. Besides, there is a tori gate in front of the main shrine that looks incredible.
There are four creatures symbols in the Tori gate, a turtle, a White Tiger, a Vermilion Bird, and a dragon. They are very famous in Shintoism.
Secret of four gods:
I hope the Toranomon Kotohira-gu shrine will not surprise you. Four great sacred gods are on both sides of the two pillars, such as a genbu, a dragon, a tiger, and a Vermilion Bird.
In Japan, the Azure Dragon is one of the four guardian spirits of cities, and it protects Kyoto on the east. The White Tiger protects the west, and the Black Turtle protects the north, the Vermilion Bird protects the south.
Tortoise:
Genbu is a deity mixed with snake and turtle. However, it looks like a turtle, not like a snake. But it is actually depicted as a turtle entwined together with a snake.
This entwined god sometimes is called a ‘Black warrior,’ one of the four symbolic Chinese constellations. It is called Genbu in Japanese, Xuanwu in Chinese, Hyunmoo in Korean, and Huyen Vu in Vietnamese, representing winter and north.
In Japan, the Genbu is one of the four protector spirits that protect Kyoto. It protects the city in the north—represented by the Kenkun Shrine, located on top of Mt Funaoka in Kyoto. Besides, Kenkun Shrine is one of the four shrines that protect Kyoto from the North, especially from Oda Nobunaga, a daimyo, the first unifier of Japan in the 16th century.
According to Chinese myth, a king in the north named Xuanwu was a prince of a Chinese ruler. He was not interested in politics or taking the throne. Instead, he left everything behind when he was 16 years old to study Taoism.
Finally, Xuanwu achieved divine power and was worshiped as a holy deity of the northern sky.
He had two generals, a snake general and a tortoise or turtle general. Two general became the deity in the Wudang Mountains of Hubei, and two mountains are familiar as snake mountain and tortoise mountain, located opposite of a river near Wuhan in Hubei.
Tiger:
The tiger is one of the four protector spirits that protect Kyoto in Japan.
It is a White Tiger, one of the four symbols of the Chinese constellations, also called the West White Tiger. The tiger is known as Byakko in Japanese, Baekho in Korean, Bach Ho in Vietnamese, and Baihu in Chinese, representing the west and the autumn season.
The tiger, the king in Chinese culture, carries centuries on its forehead.
According to legend, the tiger’s tail will turn white when it reaches 500 years. The white tiger will only appear when the Emperor rules with real virtue or peace in the world.
The white of the Chinese Wu Xing theory represents the west, and sometimes it also means Autumn.
So, the white tiger represents West and Autumn, the guardian god.
Vermilion Bird:
According to Chinese mythology, the Vermilion Bird is one of the four symbols of the Chinese constellations, and in Chinese Wu Xing theory, it represents the fire and south’s direction. It also describes the summer.
That is why it is known as Vermilion Bird of the South. It is familiar as Suzaku in Japanese, Zhuque Chinese, and Jujak in Korean, considered the guardian god of the south, fire, and Autumn.
Dragon:
The Dragon is known as Seiryu in Japanese.
The Azure Dragon, also known as Blue-green Dragon, Green Dragon, or the Blue Dragon, is one of the Dragon Gods representing the Five Forms’ mount or chthonic forces of the highest spirit. It is one of the four symbols of the Chinese constellations. The Dragon represents the east and the spring season.
Toranomon Kotohira-gu shrine is one of the spiritual shrines in Tokyo. It is worth visiting to know more about Japanese religious culture.
Food & restaurant:
Besides, you may like to taste Japanese style food. There are many famous restaurants in the Toranomon area. If your hotel booking is in the Toranomon area or Minato City, then you can visit at any time. You can even see the most famous shrine, Atago Shrine, in Minato City.
However, never forget to make a booking online because Toranomon is a business and tourist spot; without making a booking, you may not be able to get seats in the restaurants.
You can find different types of restaurants here.
Of course, if you like Indian foods, then I can suggest you an Indian restaurant near the Toranomon Kotohira-gu shrine. The name of the Indian restaurant is Nirvana.
Most people from India, Myanmar, Thai, and Chittagong Hill Tracts who work in the area come here to have their lunch.
The Indian restaurant is one of the best restaurants in the area. It is not only cheap but also the food wonderfully delicious.
In addition, there are numerous delicious Japanese restaurants near the Indian restaurant, Nirvana.
Address of Nirvana:
Toranomon Jitsugyoukaikan Bldg-B1F.1-1-20, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Tel: 03-5510-7875
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The shrine’s precinct is open for 24 hours. However, the official hours start from 9 am.
Admission: Free
Opening hours:
9:00-17:00
Access:
#Tokyo Metro Ginza Line:
It is less than two minutes walk from Exit 2a of Toranomon Station.
#Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line:
Three minutes walk from Exits A1 and A2 of Toranomon Hills Station.
#Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line / Chiyoda Line:
Five minutes walk from Exit A13 of Kasumigaseki Station.
Contact:
TEL: 03-3501-9355
FAX: 03-3593-2839
website:
http://www.kotohira.or.jp
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