Miyamasumitake Shrine is a treasure in the Shibuya jungle

Miyamasumitake shrine street entrance
You could walk right past the entrance and not notice it.

Tokyo has many hidden treasures. You can walk along a street of modern buildings, and between them will be an old temple or shrine. It can be surprising when it happens, but it’s not unusual. One such example is in Shibuya.

Miyamasumitake shrine entrance long staircase

That one is called Miyamasumitake Shrine. It is not far from the JR station. Walk up nearby Miyamasuzaka (“Miyamasu Hill”), and you’ll find it.

small Shibuya shinto shrine
Miyamasumitake Shrine.

It is easy to miss, though. The entrance is squeezed between big buildings. You could miss it entirely if you don’t look around while walking. It’s possible to keep going up the hill and pass it by entirely. Many people do that.

urban shrine
There is nothing but concrete around the shrine.

I used to teach in Shibuya. When I talked about this Miyamasumitake Shrine to my students, some had no idea it existed. And that was even with my school only a couple of minutes walk away.

guardian fox deity statue

But, if you find your way to it and make your way up a long and reasonably steep set of stairs, you’ll be at the entrance. There isn’t much to see, as the surrounding area is showing its age. Luckily, some areas of Miyamasuzaka are undergoing redevelopment.

Miyamasumitake shrine

The shrine is well-kept but tiny. It has a rock garden, so stick to the path! What I love about it is looking up and seeing the surrounding buildings dwarf it on three sides. Turn around and you’ll see Shibuya Hikarie soaring into the sky.

buildings suround Miyamasumitake shrine

It’s nice to know that these small, beautiful shrines still exist in Japan. They contrast the old and the new. It’s a small shrine against the large urban buildings. They are oases of secluded tranquility in the busy city.

Miyamasumitake shrine torii gate

Where is Miyamasumitake Shrine?

Address: 1-12-2 Shibuya, Tokyo

It’s about a five-minute walk from Shibuya Station. Here is a Google map:

Opening hours

10 AM to 10 AM

Picture of Rohan Gillett
Rohan Gillett

Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.

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