​of moving Zōjō-ji to the area and quickly received the patronage of the Tokugawa Bakufu. Both inside and outside the shrine teahouses and theatres sprung up and Sumō tournaments and lottery drawings were also held. Perhaps the annual highlight of this kind of activity was the Ginger Festival (Shōga-matsuri, 生姜祭) held each year from September 11th to the 21st. This reflected the shrine’s origins in an area which specialised in the cultivation of ginger.

In 1872 the current name was adopted.

In January 1876 the shrine was burnt down, including 19 auxilary shrines, four of which were outside the shrine grounds. Although rebuilding was completed in March of the following year it was again destroyed during the Great Kantō Earthquake of September 1923. Reconstruction from this disaster was completed by December 1938, but less than seven years later disaster struck again in the form of the firebombing of May 1945. It was not until September 1964 that the final reconstruction was completed.

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Description

The shrine grounds are quite small and its visual appeal does lack its historical appeal. The most interesting hands-on aspect of the shrine might well be the temizuya. This is tucked away in a small corner and is not visible as one passes through the torii and proceeds to the haiden. I wonder if this might not lead to some casual visitors not purifying  themselves before opening their hearts to the kami.  

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