This is a very famous temple with long history , one of the top 10 temples in Tokyo. This is also a famous place to watch the yellow leaves of Ginkgo trees. I enjoyed the buildings, the structures and the trees here in this beautiful temple.
Quiet respite in the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. The rows of Torii is distinct and a good camera subject. One of the oldest shrines in Tokyo. Has a famous Azalea festive when in season. I’d recommend visiting if you can make the time to come here.
Unlike many of the reconstructed shrines around Tokyo, most of the buildings a Nezu Shrine date from the early 1700s as it survived both the Great Kantō Earthquake (1923) and the American firebombings at the end of World War II. The shrine is actually much older (legend says it’s about 1900 years old…but who knows), but it was moved to its current location in 1705 by the 5th Tokugawa Shōgun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (aka The Dog Shōgun). It’s located just north of The University of Tokyo (aka Tōdai) and a little northwest of Ueno Park. It’s a short walk from either the Nezu Station (Chiyoda Line) or the Tōdaimae Station (Namboku Line). If you are visiting Yanaka Ginza, it’s about a 15 minute walk south.
Nezu Shrine is dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the Shinto god of the sea and storms, and is one of the ten shrines (aka Tokyo Jissha) chosen by the Meiji Emperor to protect and bring prosperity to Tokyo. If you are coming from the south entrance, you will pass through the beautiful Romon Gate (built in 1706). For Japanese literature fans, once you pass through the gate, walk about 10m to the left, you will see a nondescript flat rock in front of a stone wall (no signage). This rock is known as the Writer’s Rock and it was where the famed authors Natsume Sōseki (Kokoro, Botchan, I am a Cat) and Mori Ōgai (The Dancing Girl, The Wild Geese) are said to have hunkered down to write some of their works…they are also characters in Bungō Stray Dogs if you are into anime.
Anyhoo, one of the more picturesque areas of Nezu Shrine is the rows of red torii gates. It’s picturesque and pleasant, but if anybody tells you it’s like the "Senbon Torii" at Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto…they are grossly exaggerating. These torii are actually part of a separate shrine called the Otome Inari Shrine located near the northern entrance - women come to this particular shrine to pray for a good marriage. Make sure to walk through the torii from north to south as the evil juju that is clinging on to you will supposedly be removed and your wishes will come true…unfortunately, I learned this only after walking through it in the opposite direction, so I think I am doomed for 2025.
This shrine is located in a quiet area inside bustling Tokyo. It’s peaceful and calm and the temple is simply beautiful.
It’s divided into multiple sections so you can walk anywhere. The Torii Gates at the entrance were breathtaking to walk through.
I highly recommend this shrine to visit if you want a glimpse of walking through the Torii Gates and enjoy the calmness of busy Tokyo.
I wouldn't come especially for this shrine, but if you're around Ueno or coming to see Yanaka this is a nice place to visit. There's a very nice garden and a cool torii gate tunnel (as opposed to what Instagram say about the torii gate tunnels in Tokyo, none of them comes close to the Fushimi Inari torii gate tunnel in Kyoto).
