Make a wish by spinning komanezumi (guardian rats)! Make a wish by spinning komanezumi (guardian rats)! Tobe Sugiyama Shrine in Yokohama

  • Kanagawa
  • Sightseeing
Komainesu (guardian rats)
A pair of komainu (guardian dogs) are placed at the head of a shrine or in front of the shrine pavilion. They are placed to ward off evil spirits, but did you know that Yokohama has "komanezumi" (guardian rats) instead of komainu (guardian dogs)?

At the Tobe Sugiyama Shrine near Nishi-Yokohama Station, there are komanezumi (guardian rats) that are said to bring good luck. The guardian rats were built because there is a story that a certain rat helped a god. Why don't you make a wish to the guardian rats when you visit Yokohama?

Tobe Sugiyama Shrine, the oldest shrine in Yokohama City

Tobe Sugiyama Shrine stands quietly and quietly behind the Yokohama Nishi Ward Office.
Tobe Sugiyama Shrine
Tobe Sugiyama Shrine was founded in 652 A.D., giving this historic shrine a history of more than 1360 years. The deity enshrined at the shrine is "Ohonamuchi no Mikoto. He is also known as Okuninushi no Mikoto, the deity of Izumo. It is said to be the oldest shrine in the old city of Yokohama.
The shrine pavilion

Komainesu (guardian rats)

When visitors pass through the torii gate, they are greeted by a pair of cute "komanezumi" (guardian rats). If you make a wish while rotating the pedestal of these guardian rats like a millstone, your wish will be granted. The female is on the left and the male is on the right. Women should make their wishes by rotating the female komanezumi and men should rotate the male komanezumi inward.
Komainesu (guardian rats)
The origin of this guardian rat is that it saved the life of Okuninushi no Mikoto.

Okuninushi fell in love with Suseribi, daughter of Susano no Mikoto. However, his father, Susano-no-mikoto, disapproved of the marriage and gave him three severe trials: the first was to sleep in a room with snakes, and the second was to sleep in a room with bees and hundred-legged creatures, both of which were to be kept in a room with bees and hundred-legged creatures. In both cases, Suseribi's quick thinking got them out of the difficulty, but the third was to pick up the arrow from the Narikabura, which had been shot into Ohno.

As soon as Okuninushi entered the field to pick up the arrows, a fire was set. As he fled and nearly lost his life, a mouse guided him to safety in a hole. The fire burned out and the mouse brought back one of the arrows from the ordeal, the arrow from Nabutame, in its paw. From this, the rat became an errand boy for Okuninushi no Mikoto.

If we make a wish to the guardian rats, they may help us fulfill it.
A sign reading "Okuninushi no Mikoto and a rat

Good-luck charms for praying for a good marriage

After overcoming trials and marrying Suseribi, Okuninushi no Mikoto became popular as a god of marriage. For this reason, Tobe Sugiyama Shrine is said to be beneficial for matchmaking.

At Tobe Sugiyama Shrine, you can receive a cute good-luck charm to pray for a good marriage.
Amulet

If you want to pray for a good marriage in Yokohama, go to "Tobe Sugiyama Shrine

We introduced Tobe Sugiyama Shrine in Yokohama. If you know the origin and history of the shrine, you will be able to visit the shrine with even more devotion. If you visit Yokohama, be sure to make a wish to the komanezumi (guardian rats).
Instagram] Sugiyama Shrine
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