Chingodō (鎮護堂) is a small Shinto shrine in Asakusa which is dedicated to the tanuki (狸), a small, furry animal that is a mainstay of Japanese folklore. Such is the reverence accorded these animals, the shrine is sometimes called Otanuki-sama, (お狸様, Honourable Mr. Tanuki).
The tanuki is a small, short-legged animal that is sometimes compared to the North American raccoon. Although they are sometimes called 'raccoon dogs', they are in fact more closely related to foxes than to raccoons or dogs. They are common in rural parts of Japan, where 370,000 of them are killed by motor vehicles every year.
Photo by George Lloyd
Tanuki often feature in Japanese folktales as magical shape-shifting creatures. In the Nihon Shoki, (日本書記Chronicles of Japan), which was written in the 8th century, making it the second oldest book of classical Japanese history, a passage relates that "in two months of spring, there are tanuki in the country of Mutsu that turn into humans and sing songs."
Like foxes, tanuki are considered mischievous, and they love to play tricks on people. But they are also regarded as jolly, happy-go-lucky creatures, who have a tendency to be absent-minded. To this day, tanuki-gao (狸顔, raccoon dog face) is used to refer to the expression on the face of someone is trying to act innocent.
Children asking for protection from a guardian deity at Chingodō. | Photo by George Lloyd
You won't see any tanuki in Tokyo these days, but they were quite a common sight in the city in the 19th century, when there were more green spaces. There was a colony of them in Asakusa, but with the modernization of the neighbourhood in the early Meiji period (1868-1912), they were gradually deprived of their burrows, until the only remaining colony was in the garden of Denbōin (伝法院), the official residence of the abbot of the famous Sensōji Temple.
A local tale has it that the abbot of Sensōji did not like the tanuki living in his garden. In the summer months, when he had the doors open, they would often get into his living quarters, and the sight of their dirty pawprints on his pristine tatami mats would drive him into a rage.
But one night, the abbot had a strange dream, in which a tanuki appeared before him. The creature told him that if he built a shrine to the tanuki, they would protect his residence from fire and bring it prosperity forevermore.
The abbot agreed to the tanuki's request, and in 1883, built Chingodō (the name means “guardian shrine"). He also deified the tanuki of Denbōin as guardian spirits of the neighbourhood.
The tanuki kept their side of the bargain too. When large parts of Asakusa were destroyed by fire after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, and again when Tokyo was bombed by U.S. warplanes in 1945, both the abbot's residence and the tanukis' shrine escaped unscathed.
These days, people still pray at Chingodō for protection from fire, and also for the recovery of things they have lost. Rakugo storytellers, kabuki actors, and other performers also go to the shrine to pray for success in the fickle world of show business.
The entrance to the shrine. | Photo by George Lloyd
Chingodō is open every day and is free to enter. You'll find it on Denbōin-dōri, an old-fashioned shopping street that runs from the west side of Nakamise-dōri for about 200 meters. Be careful: it is easy to miss its small gateway. The shrine hardly qualifies as one of Asakusa’s major sightseeing spots, but it is a peaceful spot and worth bearing in mind next time you find yourself ambling in Asakusa.
After your visit to the shrine, you might like to have a look at the traditional artisanal crafts shops on Denbōin-dōri. Many of them date back over a hundred years, have been in the same family for generations and sell handicrafts that you can only find in Asakusa. It is a good place to look for souvenirs while savouring something of the atmosphere of old Edo (the old name for Tokyo). Denbōin-dōri is also quite wide, which makes it a relaxing place for a stroll after visiting busy and crowded Nakamise-dōri.
The garden of Denbōin. | Photo by George Lloyd
Denbōin, the residence of the abbot of Sensōji temple, is closed to the public, but its spacious and peaceful garden is open to the public for a limited time in the spring.
Chingodō (鎮護堂) is a small Shinto shrine in Asakusa which is dedicated to the tanuki (狸), a small, furry animal that is a mainstay of Japanese folklore. Such is the reverence accorded these animals, the shrine is sometimes called Otanuki-sama, (お狸様, Honourable Mr. Tanuki).
The tanuki is a small, short-legged animal that is sometimes compared to the North American raccoon. Although they are sometimes called 'raccoon dogs', they are in fact more closely related to foxes than to raccoons or dogs. They are common in rural parts of Japan, where 370,000 of them are killed by motor vehicles every year.
Photo by George Lloyd
Tanuki often feature in Japanese folktales as magical shape-shifting creatures. In the Nihon Shoki, (日本書記Chronicles of Japan), which was written in the 8th century, making it the second oldest book of classical Japanese history, a passage relates that "in two months of spring, there are tanuki in the country of Mutsu that turn into humans and sing songs."
Like foxes, tanuki are considered mischievous, and they love to play tricks on people. But they are also regarded as jolly, happy-go-lucky creatures, who have a tendency to be absent-minded. To this day, tanuki-gao (狸顔, raccoon dog face) is used to refer to the expression on the face of someone is trying to act innocent.
Children asking for protection from a guardian deity at Chingodō. | Photo by George Lloyd
You won't see any tanuki in Tokyo these days, but they were quite a common sight in the city in the 19th century, when there were more green spaces. There was a colony of them in Asakusa, but with the modernization of the neighbourhood in the early Meiji period (1868-1912), they were gradually deprived of their burrows, until the only remaining colony was in the garden of Denbōin (伝法院), the official residence of the abbot of the famous Sensōji Temple.
A local tale has it that the abbot of Sensōji did not like the tanuki living in his garden. In the summer months, when he had the doors open, they would often get into his living quarters, and the sight of their dirty pawprints on his pristine tatami mats would drive him into a rage.
But one night, the abbot had a strange dream, in which a tanuki appeared before him. The creature told him that if he built a shrine to the tanuki, they would protect his residence from fire and bring it prosperity forevermore.
The abbot agreed to the tanuki's request, and in 1883, built Chingodō (the name means “guardian shrine"). He also deified the tanuki of Denbōin as guardian spirits of the neighbourhood.
The tanuki kept their side of the bargain too. When large parts of Asakusa were destroyed by fire after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, and again when Tokyo was bombed by U.S. warplanes in 1945, both the abbot's residence and the tanukis' shrine escaped unscathed.
These days, people still pray at Chingodō for protection from fire, and also for the recovery of things they have lost. Rakugo storytellers, kabuki actors, and other performers also go to the shrine to pray for success in the fickle world of show business.
The entrance to the shrine. | Photo by George Lloyd
Chingodō is open every day and is free to enter. You'll find it on Denbōin-dōri, an old-fashioned shopping street that runs from the west side of Nakamise-dōri for about 200 meters. Be careful: it is easy to miss its small gateway. The shrine hardly qualifies as one of Asakusa’s major sightseeing spots, but it is a peaceful spot and worth bearing in mind next time you find yourself ambling in Asakusa.
After your visit to the shrine, you might like to have a look at the traditional artisanal crafts shops on Denbōin-dōri. Many of them date back over a hundred years, have been in the same family for generations and sell handicrafts that you can only find in Asakusa. It is a good place to look for souvenirs while savouring something of the atmosphere of old Edo (the old name for Tokyo). Denbōin-dōri is also quite wide, which makes it a relaxing place for a stroll after visiting busy and crowded Nakamise-dōri.
The garden of Denbōin. | Photo by George Lloyd
Denbōin, the residence of the abbot of Sensōji temple, is closed to the public, but its spacious and peaceful garden is open to the public for a limited time in the spring.