A short guide to Shitaya Shrine in Higashi-Ueno: its founding in 730, the Inari shrine behind the Inaricho name, the birthplace of yose storytelling, and the May festival.
- Shitaya Shrine is said to have been founded in 730 and is known as one of the oldest Inari shrines in Tokyo.
- The neighborhood name Inaricho comes from the shrine's former name, Shitaya Inari.
- A stone on the grounds marks the site where the first yose storytelling show is said to have been held, in 1798.
- The calligraphy venue Shitaya Jinja Kaikan is the shrine's hall.
Next Step
Join a calligraphy class at Shitaya Jinja Kaikan
The beginner class is 60 minutes, guided in English, with a finished piece to take home.
A shrine older than Edo
According to shrine tradition, Shitaya Shrine was founded in 730, more than 800 years before Edo became the shogun's capital. It is an Inari shrine, dedicated to the deity of rice and prosperity, and it is often described as the oldest Inari shrine in Tokyo.
Until the early Meiji era the shrine was called Shitaya Inari. The name of the surrounding area, Inaricho, and of Inaricho Station on the Ginza Line, both come from that older name.
- Founded in 730, according to shrine tradition
- Formerly called Shitaya Inari
- The Inaricho area and station are named after it
The birthplace of yose
Yose are small theaters for rakugo, the Japanese tradition of comic storytelling. A stone monument on the shrine grounds marks Shitaya Shrine as the birthplace of yose.
The story behind the monument is that in 1798 the storyteller later known as Sanshotei Karaku, the first of that name, put up a sign on the grounds and held a storytelling show for five days. Accounts differ on the details, but the monument is easy to find and worth a look if you are interested in Edo-period entertainment.
The May festival
The shrine's annual festival is tied to May 11 and is now usually held on the nearest weekend. Neighborhood associations carry their own portable shrines, called mikoshi, through the streets.
The festival alternates by year. In the main festival year the shrine's own large mikoshi is carried through the district, starting early in the morning and returning in the evening. In the other years the festival is smaller. If you are in Tokyo in early or mid May, check the shrine's notices for that year's dates.
- Held around May 11, usually on the nearest weekend
- Main festival and smaller festival alternate by year
- Neighborhood mikoshi are carried through the streets
Visiting the shrine
The shrine is at Higashi-Ueno 3-29-8, a 2-minute walk from Inaricho Station and about 6 minutes on foot from JR Ueno Station. It is a neighborhood shrine, so a visit takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Basic etiquette is the same as at other Shinto shrines: bow lightly at the torii gate, rinse your hands at the water basin if it is open, and keep voices low near the main hall. Photos of the grounds are generally fine, but avoid photographing people who are praying.
Calligraphy in the shrine hall
Our calligraphy classes are held in Shitaya Jinja Kaikan, the shrine's hall on the same site. Many guests visit the shrine before or after the class, since the walk between the two takes less than a minute.
The beginner class is 60 minutes and includes brush practice, a final piece to take home, and guidance in English. If you want to write your name in kanji, the teacher can help choose the characters.