Okunitama Shrine is one of the oldest shinto shrine located in Fuchu ward of westside Tokyo. The shrine is famous for giving profit for matchmaking, and is designated as one of the high formality “Tokyo Five Major Shrine”.
The deity of the shrine is Ookunitama-no-ookami who has power for Matchmaking, Money and warding off misfortune.
According to histrical article, the shrine was founded in 111, and was worshipped by Tokugawa Shogunate. Most of present buildings in the shrine were built in the Edo Period(1603-1868).
Okunitama Shrine also contatins sacred trees that are Zelkova trees standed over 900 years and Ginkgo trees standed over 1,000 years.
Okunitama Shrine helds very popular festival named “Kurayami(Darkness) Festival” which attracts more than 500,000 people every year. The feature of the festival is that 8 Mikoshi (portable shrine) are carried at 06:00pm with the launch of fireworks and sounds of Japanese large drums on the evening May 5. 8 Mikoshi departs from main shrine to Otabisho which is a branch shrine where god is worshipped for specified period, and is about 200 meters away from the shrine. The mikoshi parade route is extended since 2017 for larger procession.
Hours
06:00 to 18:00 (April 1st – September 14th)
06:30 to 17:00 (September 15th – March 31th)
Closed
No closing day
Admission
Free for entry
Access
Fuchu station on JR and Keio line: 5 minutes by walk.
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