Namiyoke Shrine 波除神社

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Happy New Year! This morning, I went to Namiyoke Shrine in Tsukiji, Tokyo to make my first visit to a shrine of the year. The name of the shrine literally means "protection from waves" and this is understandable because Tsukiji, where the shrine is located, was once lowland marshes along the Sumida River delta and reclaimed during the Edo period (1603-1867). You may have heard of Tsukiji as a fish market, which was established in 1935 and existed until 2018 when transferred to Toyosu.

The shrine has two wooden sculptures, both of which are taller than 2 meters. One is of the head of a female lion (1st photo). You can say it's female because the teeth are black, which is a Japanese tradition practiced mainly by married women before the mid-19th century. She has Benzaiten or goddess of eloquence enshrined within itself. And the other is of the head of a male lion (2nd photo). Namiyoke shrine is small and not that famous but I love the shrine for its coziness. 

Female lion 雌獅子

Male lion 雄獅子

Namiyoke shrine

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明けましておめでとうございます。今年は初詣に築地の波除神社に行きました。するとお歯黒獅子(雌獅子)と雄の大獅子(2枚目)を発見。両方とも2メートルを超える大きさです。雌獅子の中には弁財天の神像が納められているそうです。小さいけど大好きな神社です。

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