Shrine · Kagurazaka

Akagi Shrine 赤城神社

Kagurazaka's guardian shrine, reborn in 2010 as a sleek glass-and-timber design by architect Kengo Kuma, a stylish, modern take on a 700-year-old shrine.

About

Akagi Shrine traces its roots to 1300, when settlers from Gunma's Mt. Akagi enshrined their mountain god here, and it later became the guardian shrine of the Ushigome district. In 2010 the shrine was rebuilt by Kengo Kuma, the architect of Tokyo's National Stadium, as part of a project that also included apartments on the grounds. The result is a minimalist haiden of glass, steel and wood that glows at night, with a slender vermilion-and-white palette that respects tradition. It has become a popular wedding venue and a favourite of design lovers exploring Kagurazaka, the hilly former geisha district of cobbled lanes and French bistros. Smaller sub-shrines on the grounds include Keisetsu Tenjin, for scholarship, and Shusse Inari, for career success.

Highlights

• Main hall redesigned by Kengo Kuma (2010) in glass, steel and wood
• Glowing glass shrine at dusk, unique among Tokyo shrines
• Guardian shrine of Kagurazaka and Ushigome since the 14th century
• Popular modern wedding venue
• Easy base for exploring Kagurazaka's stone-paved alleys

Tips

• Kagurazaka Station (Tozai Line) Exit 1 is 1 minute away.
• Visit at dusk when the haiden is lit from within.
• Walk down through the cobbled Hyogo Yokocho lanes to Iidabashi for the full Kagurazaka experience.
• If a wedding is underway, keep a respectful distance and avoid photographing the couple.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

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• Kagurazaka BackstreetsLocal Secret · 360 m away
• HagurumaBars & Nightlife · 630 m away
• Printing Museum, TokyoMuseum · 700 m away
• SantoraRamen & Noodles · 730 m away
• Jikasei Chuka Soba ToshiokaRamen & Noodles · 850 m away
• Yayoi Kusama MuseumMuseum · 880 m away
• Coin Lockers · Iidabashi StationLuggage Storage · 890 m away