Karasumori Shrine

Located in Shimbashi in Tokyo's Minato Ward, this shrine sits just a two-minute walk from the Karasumori exit of Shimbashi Station, making it remarkably easy to drop by.

A shrine founded by divine prophecy

Karasumori Shrine is said to date back to the Heian period, around the year 940. When the warlord Taira no Masakado raised his rebellion, a general named Fujiwara no Hidesato prayed for victory, and a white fox is said to have appeared and presented him with a sacred white-feathered arrow.

After swiftly putting down the rebellion with the power of that arrow, Fujiwara no Hidesato wished to build a shrine in gratitude. The white fox came to him in a dream and told him that the sacred ground he sought was a place where divine crows gathered. Following this prophecy, he founded Karasumori Inari Shrine on this very spot, where pine groves grew thick and crows had built their nests.

A favorite stop during the workday

Karasumori Shrine

Set in the Shimbashi business district, the shrine sees many visitors from nearby offices. People come to pray for promotions, successful deals, and smooth career changes. It's also known for blessings related to overcoming cancer and recovering from illness, and is one of the rare shrines that enshrines Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto, the goddess of performing arts.

Famous for its grand mikoshi at the annual festival

The grand mikoshi (a portable shrine carried during festivals) of Karasumori Shrine is said to be the masterpiece of Yamamoto Shōtarō, a renowned mikoshi craftsman. The decorative warabite ornaments perched on top take the form of crows, giving the whole structure a particularly solemn appearance. Once every two years, on May 5, the mikoshi is paraded through the surrounding streets during the annual festival.

Colorful original fortune slips

At many shrines in Japan, omikuji are paper fortune slips used to read your luck and receive guidance from the gods. At Karasumori Shrine, these come paired with original items for making wishes.

The omikuji is bundled with a small charm called a negaidama, or wish ball, and a wooden negaifuda, or wish slip, color-coded by theme. Red is for love and good relationships, yellow for wealth, fortune, and business, blue for warding off misfortune as well as work, study, and the arts, and green for health and family. The fortunes even include a rare "super great blessing," and anyone lucky enough to draw it receives a special charm along with a fukuwake set, a small package meant to share that powerful luck with others.