MiyanozakaStroll around Gotokuji Temple, the birthplace of the beckoning cat, and Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine

Japan Travel Samurai x "Japanese and People's Exchange Chitose" project "Japanese Walk". In the fifth installment, we went around Miyanozaka Station on the Tokyu Setagaya Line with Jo Morinaka, who is active in a wide range of fields as a model and actor.

The historic area around Miyanosaka Station

The Miyasaka area, where Miyanosaka Station on the Tokyu Setagaya Line is located, is known as a historic district surrounded by famous temples and shrines such as Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine and Gotokuji Temple. The name Miyanosaka comes from the slope called "Miyanozaka" on the east side of Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine. Miyasaka is also known as an upscale residential area.

The guardian deity, Setagaya Hachiman Shrine

Located on the west side of Miyanosaka Station is Setagaya Hachiman Shrine, the guardian deity of Setagaya. It is said to have been enshrined by Mutsu no Kami Minamoto no Yoshiie in 1091 during the Heian period. Minamoto no Yoshiie was a military commander who played an active role in the Gosannen War (1087-1094), which was triggered by an internal conflict within the Kiyohara clan, who ruled Oshu, and is an ancestor of Minamoto no Yoritomo. He is known as Hachiman Taro Yoshiie and has left behind many legends of his bravery.

Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine was founded when Yoshiie, who was stranded in heavy rains in Setagaya on his way back from Oshu, expressed his gratitude to the guardian deity Hachiman Okami for his victory in battle and invited a branch of the deity Usa Hachimangu Shrine in Buzen Province (present-day Oita Prefecture) to Setagaya to hold a festival and encourage the local people to worship him as a guardian deity. The shrine is dedicated to three deities: Emperor Ojin, Emperor Chuai, and Empress Jingu. During the Muromachi period, the lord of Setagaya Castle, Kira Yoriyasu, renovated and constructed the shrine, which shows that the Kira clan worshipped the shrine.

The grounds are lush and calming. The water basin is decorated with seasonal flowers, and has become a hot topic on social media as a beautiful "flower water basin." It was donated by Suzuki Hanaten in Miyasaka, Setagaya Ward, and is said to have started as a measure to prevent flower waste. As you approach the main hall, you will hear a cool sound. In fact, Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine decorates wind chimes near the main hall in the summer. Enjoy the summer sounds as you proceed to the main hall and pray. The parent and child lion statues in front of the main hall are also a highlight.

Additionally, Itsukushima Shrine is enshrined in Benten Pond on the temple grounds, and it is recommended to leisurely watch the carp and ducks swimming leisurely in the pond.

Famous places for Edo Sansumo

When Minamoto no Yoshiie enshrined the shrine, he had his subordinates perform a celebratory sumo match. For this reason, Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine is also known as a sumo shrine, and there is a sumo ring within the shrine grounds. During the Edo period, it was loved by many people as "Edo Sanzumo". Even today, as a religious ceremony, a spectacular student dedication sumo match is held during the annual festival in September.

Also within the grounds are a row of "chikaraishi" (power stones) that people used to lift in training and strength contests from the Edo period through to the early Showa period. They weigh 48 kan (about 180 kg), and the date of their donation and names are engraved on the stones.

Comb cat

"Kushineko" is located on the way from Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine to Gotokuji Temple. This restaurant sells ham and sausages from Gotokuji Temple, and offers Instagrammable dishes such as "Kushineko Beer Sausage" featuring a maneki-neko (beckoning cat) branding, in honor of Gotokuji Temple, known for its maneki-neko (beckoning cat), and "Kushineko Frank", a sausage rolled up in a circle. You can also eat inside the restaurant.

Morinaka chose the "Kushineko Beer Sausage." This specialty, which is branded with a maneki-neko (beckoning cat) design right in front of you, has a strong flavor that goes well with beer. Morinaka munched it down, saying, "It has a strong flavor, and it makes me want to drink alcohol in the middle of the day."

Kushineko also sells alcoholic drinks such as beer and lemon sours. They also offer cranberry soda, shaved ice, and other drinks and frozen desserts that are perfect for the hot summer.

Gotokuji Temple, the family temple of the Ii clan

A popular tourist spot near Miyanosaka Station is Gotokuji Temple, famous for its maneki-neko (beckoning cat). During the Sengoku period, the main keep of Setagaya Castle, the residence of the Kira clan, was located here, but in 1590, during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Odawara Conquest, the Kira clan, who were on the Hojo side, were defeated and the castle was taken over by the Toyotomi and abandoned.

The predecessor of Gotokuji Temple was Kotokuin Temple, which was built within Setagaya Castle in 1480 by Kira Masatada, the lord of the castle at the time. When Setagaya became the territory of the Ii clan of Hikone Domain in 1633, it was designated as the Edo family temple of the Ii clan. The temple was established during the reign of Ii Naotaka, the second lord of the domain, who played a major role in the Siege of Osaka, and when Naotaka died in 1659, the temple was renamed Gotokuji Temple after his posthumous name, Kyushoinden Gotoku Ten'ei Daikoji.

Within the grounds is the graveyard of the Ii family, the feudal lords of Hikone, and within the spacious grounds are the graves of six feudal lords, including Naotaka and the 13th feudal lord, Ii Naosuke, who was assassinated in the Sakuradamon Incident, as well as their wives. The graveyard is one of the most famous feudal lord graves in Tokyo, and was designated a national historic site in 2008. It is open to the public, and it is recommended to use the map posted next to the entrance to find your way around.

The bright red Akamon Gate in the temple grounds was relocated from the Nagayamon Gate that was once the main residence of the Ii family. Other buildings that evoke the Edo period include a Shoin study that was built using a building from the Edo residence of the Hotta family of the former Sakura domain, and a Buddhist hall built in 1677.

The legend of the maneki-neko (beckoning cat) of Gotokuji Temple

Gotokuji Temple is strongly associated with the image of a maneki-neko (beckoning cat), and this maneki-neko legend is also related to the Ii family. When Ii Naotaka was passing through Setagaya on his way back from falconry, he saw a white cat beckoning to him in front of Kotoku-in (Gotoku-ji Temple). He was led by the cat into the temple, when suddenly thunder rumbled and rain began to fall. Thanks to the cat, Naotaka was able to avoid the thunderstorm and also enjoy a conversation with the temple's priest. It is said that Naotaka was grateful for this good fortune and supported Kotoku-in, making it his family temple.

After that, Gotokuji Temple came to call the cat that brought good fortune "Maneki Neko" (Lucky Cat Child) and treasured it. A "Manekiden" (Lucky Hall) was also built to worship the cat. Incidentally, the Maneki Neko does not hold an oval coin, but raises its right paw to invite people, which is because it invites people and brings "fate." It is up to the individual to use their fate to bring good fortune, and it is based on the teaching that if you have a feeling of gratitude and repay your kindness, good fortune will come to you naturally. It's quite profound, isn't it?

You can see lucky cats in various places in the Gotokuji temple grounds. At the offering hall of the Shofukuden, cats donated by worshippers are lined up, and Morinaka was a little surprised by their sheer size. The three-story pagoda is decorated with the twelve Chinese zodiac animals, and cats are among them. There are cats in various places, so why not take a stroll around looking for them?

You can also purchase lucky cats at the shrine office and take them home. There are also cats on votive plaques and amulets, making this a must-see spot for cat lovers.

Cafe Amane: A relaxing old-style cafe

After visiting Gotokuji Temple, we went to Cafe Amane, a traditional Japanese cafe near Miyanosaka Station. This cafe is perfect for a short break, as you can relax and feel as if you were at home or your grandparents' house. The recommended dish is the pork curry, which is simmered for 10 hours. It is delicious with the original blend of spices. The chicken curry and gratin are also recommended.

This time, I decided to take a break and opt for something sweet. I enjoyed the fizzy cider and cream zenzai, feeling the summer as I relaxed. There are various types of seating, from chairs to tatami rooms, so it's a cafe where you can just drop in and relax, so feel free to drop by!

【Today's walking course】

Miyanozaka Station → Setagaya Hachiman Shrine → Kushineko → Gotokuji → Cafe Amane

[Spots visited this time]

"Setagaya Hachiman Shrine" 1-26-2 Miyasaka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
"Kushineko" 1-25-2 Miyasaka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
"Gotokuji" 2-24-7 Gotokuji, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
"Cafe Amane" 2-18-6 Gotokuji, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo