Once again we are heading to Tokyo today, one of my all-time favorite cities. It's all been some time ago, but back then I was excited and full of anticipation, scurrying around many streets of this wonderful city to look around and discover something.

And there was so much to discover, sometimes more and sometimes less easy to see and find. But if you inform yourself a little in advance, you quickly come across many hidden insider tips. And even when just walking through the city, you only have to keep your eyes open and your senses awake, because many interesting places are not so hidden after all, but usually quite obvious.

On one of my trips, I came across the Hie Shrine, located right in the heart of Tokyo. Hie-jinja 日枝神社, as it is called in Japanese, is located on a hill between the business district of Akasaka and the government buildings of Nagatacho, and it is one of the most important shrines in Tokyo.

As early as 1478, the first Hie-Jinja was built as a protective shrine for the newly built Edo Castle. After Iegasu Tokugawa established the Edo Shogunate, he became the patron of the shrine and eventually it was moved to a hill outside the castle grounds so that the citizens of Edo could also visit and worship there. The Hie-jinja was one of the favorites of the Tokugawa clan and was promoted and patronized by them until the end of their reign in the second half of the 18th century.

Since the Meiji Restoration, the Hie-jinja shrine has served as the guardian shrine of the Imperial Palace and now holds some of Japan's most precious relics. Every year in mid-June, Hie-jinja Shrine also hosts the Sanno Matsuri, which is one of the three most popular and important festivals in Tokyo.

Some time ago, when I was visiting Tokyo, I was staying nearby and of course I didn't want to miss a visit there. While browsing through my picture collection, I came across some photos which I would like to share with you today.

So sit back and relax, and then let's have a look together....

If you stand with your back to one of those large and noisy main roads, you have the tall and stony entrance gate, the Sannō-Torii, right in front of you. There are two ways up from there, the steeper "men's way" (山王男坂, Sannō Otoko-zaka), and the more winding "women's way" (山王女坂, Sannō Onna-zaka).

The upper shrine area is then entered through the gate of the gods, the Shinmon 神門. The photos are taken from within the shrine and show the view to the outside.

Inside the gate are two guardian figures, but fortunately they let me enter and pass and didn't start bothering and bossing me around.

Opposite the gate is the devotional hall, in front of which the worthy visitors still say their prayers and afterwards leave a small obolus as a sign of gratitude.

The shrine complex is in a very well-kept condition and even includes a small bamboo grove and several stone lanterns. When I visited, I was one of only a few more visitors, andn therefor I was really able to relax and enjoy the very peaceful yet stimulating and intense atmosphere.

Because the Hie-jinja is located in the middle of the city, you will be able to see and fell quite a contrast between the traditional and the modern Japan. In front of you can see the old and historical shrine complex and in the background you can spot the new glittering Tokyo which show up in several places.

The city's skyscrapers are very difficult to hide, but you feel far away from the cheer and bustle of the big city. The noise of the metropolis raging below fortunately only partially reaches up here, and you feel well shielded and safe. A welcome break from the fast life down there.

I took the way down through this tunnel of red toris, which make a really impressive sight and are said to be among the most photographed objects in Japan.

Many of these red tori gates were sponsored by private individuals or even companies, which then subsequently had their names immortalized on the tori. Perhaps the divine and heavenly benevolence can be purchased after all, at least it seems some peole keep trying to do so.

Arriving at the bottom, I certainly turned around again and enjoyed the view up through the Tori tunnel. These are exactly the kind of sights and impressions that I have come to love and appreciate here in Japan. And then I just have to stop and also pause to absorb and store this moment and the energy that exudes from there. Life is often so elusive, and for this very reason it is so important not to immediately forget what we have experienced and to save it for later.

And there I was again standing in front of the Sanno Tori, this time from the other side, and I was again looking at the big city in front of me. The little time out that the Hie-Jinja allowed me was just right and had given me enough energy back to plunge into the noisy and crowded streets of Tokyo. But even there I actually feel very comfortable and I also often just enjoy being driven by the crowds. Who knows where this stream will then float me, but there is often something to discover and see as well.

Tokyo is a city of contrasts, a city that never sleeps and rarely rests. I am already looking forward to my next visit to this gigantic metropolis, where I still have so much to discover.

For today I stay with my pictures and memories, but I hope I could increase your interest in this great city a little bit more. Soon there will be new pictures and impressions from the land of the rising sun, but for now I want to wish you a wonderful weekend!

またね matane

[//]:# (!pinmapple 35.674396 lat 139.739769 long d3scr)