Atago Shrine, Tokyo
Good to know
- Best time to go
- March–May, October–November
- Accessibility
- not-accessible
- Coordinates
- Open in maps
Atago Shrine crowns the highest natural hill in central Tokyo, dedicated to a deity of protection against fire. It is reached by a famously steep stone stairway known as the slope of success, after a legend that a samurai rode a horse up and down it to fetch plum blossoms for a shogun. The small hilltop precinct, with a pond and koi, offers a pocket of calm amid surrounding office towers. Devotees climb the daunting steps to pray for career advancement, and the shrine hosts a summer festival tied to its fire-guarding role.
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