Hirakawa Tenmangū (平河天満宮)

Hirakawa Tenmangu

Temizu-ya

About a two-minute walk southwest of Honzomon Station stands a Shinto shrine of Hirakawa Tenmangu (平河天満宮). The shrine enshrines Sugawara no Ason Michizane (菅原朝臣道眞公), a scholar and government official deified as a patron of learning commonly known as Sugawara no Michizane, along with Hondawake no Mikoto (誉田別命) and Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康公).

The origin of the shrine traces back to 1478 when Ota Dokan (太田道灌), the lord of Edo Hirakawa Castle, had a dream where Sugawara no Michizane appeared. The next morning, he received a drawing drawn by Sugawara no Michizane himself. Interpreting the dream as a bad omen, Ota personally sponsored the construction of a Tenmangu shrine in the northern part of the castle grounds. He also planted Japanese plum trees around shrine. The area became known as Bairin-zaka (梅林坂), or "Plum Grove Hill," a name that survives today within the Imperial Palace (previously the Edo Castle) grounds.

Torii

After Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616) established his rule in Edo (present-day Tokyo), the expansion of Edo Castle required the shrine to be relocated. In 1607, under the second shogun Tokugawa Hidetada (1579–1632), Hirakawa Tenmangu was moved to its present site. The surrounding area was then named Hirakawa-cho after the shrine.

The torii (shrine gate) standing at the entrance of the shrine was constructed in December 1844. It was designated as Cultural Property of Chiyoda-ku on April 1, 1994.

Jotoya

Ox statue

Along the sando (pathway) are the temizu-ya (water pavilion), a couple of stone statues of oxen, and a jotoya (nightlight). The oldest ox stone statue and the jotoya were donated to the shrine in 1852 and are designated as Cultural Property of Chiyoda-ku.

Subordinate Shrines

Hirakawa Inari Jinja (平河稲荷神社)

Hyakudoishi

The date of the founding and the origins of Hirakawa Inari Jinja (平河稲荷神社) are unknown, but the shrine is believed to have existed before Tokugawa Ieyasu entered Edo in 1590. It enshrines Ukanomitama-no-Kami (宇迦之御魂神), the kami (deity) associated with agriculture, rice, and prosperity.

Chikaraishi

Fudezuta

Along Hirakawa Inari Jinja's sando stands a hyakudoishi (百度石), a stone pillar used for the purpose of praying for fulfillment by walking a certain distance within the shrine grounds 100 times. It was donated to the shrine in 1852. It was designated as Cultural Property of Chiyoda-ku on April 1, 2003.

In front of the shrine are the chikaraishi, stone-lifting stone, and fudezuta, mound covering reverently buried old writing brushes.

Sendengu (三殿宮)

Next to the torii of Hirakawa Tenmangu is the subordinate shrine of Sendengu (三殿宮) enshrining Yamato Takeru no Mikoto of Otori Jinja (大鳥神社), Toyokumunu no Kami of Shio Jinja (塩神社), and Konohanasakuyahime no Mikoto of Sengen Jinja (浅間神社).

Behind the shrine building is the Kaguraden (神楽殿) for performing kagura, traditional sacred Shinto music and dance.