Imado Shrine: Goshuin and Visitor Guide

An earlier visit and photographs (published in 2015)

The following account preserves the original visit experience and historical introduction. The photographs and encounters at the counter date from that publication; they do not describe a new visit. Old access instructions have been replaced by the checked information above. Historical accounts and spiritual benefits are presented as traditions and beliefs.

This is the birthplace of the “beckoning cat” and is a shrine where you can get a goshuin with a cute beckoning cat stamp.

It is also famous as a power spot for marriage hunting and matchmaking, as the beckoning cat brings you a good match.

Fukurokuju is also enshrined at one of the shrines of Asakusa's Seven Lucky Gods.

History and traditions

Enshrined deity: Emperor Ojin

Izanagi-no-Mikoto Izanami-no-Mikoto

It is said that Imado Hachiman (currently Imado Shrine) was founded in 1063 at the end of the Heian period, when Ou Chinjufu Shogun Iyo no Kami Minamoto no Yoriyoshi and his son Yoshiie went on an imperial order to conquer Oshu, and they solicited Kyoto's Iwashimizu Hachiman for Kamakura and Asakusa Imanotsu (currently Imado).
 
After that, it was rebuilt after suffering numerous disasters such as the Great Kanto Earthquake and the Great Tokyo Air Raid, and in the Showa era, it was enshrined together with Hakusan Shrine and the shrine name was changed to Imado Shrine.

Lucky cat

As this is the birthplace of the beckoning cat, you can see beckoning cats all over the temple grounds.
 
There were male and female beckoning cats about 1 meter long lined up on the left side of the shrine, and at the back of the shrine there were male and female beckoning cats about 2 meters long.
 
"Maneki Neko" is said to have the benefit of bringing prosperity in business and good fortune. It is believed that a beckoning cat with its right hand raised will bring you a relationship with another person, and a beckoning cat for a married couple will bring you a good match. Therefore, many people visited the shrine as a power spot for marriage hunting to pray for a good match or a good match.
 
 

Many awards related to the beckoning cat were lined up in the shrine office at the far right of the awarding place.

The ceramic omikuji were particularly charming: fortune slips accompanied by one of 6 little beckoning-cat designs.

Koikatsu Mikuji was a paper bookmark shaped like a shrine maiden's beckoning cat, and could be carried in a wallet or other similar item.

Also, in the shrine office, a beckoning cat image dance video with a beckoning cat motif was being shown, and surrounding it were many beckoning cat statues, including Imado-yaki beckoning cats.

Pet cat

These cat statues had recently been put on display. According to the belief described, gently stroking them while making a wish and setting their photograph as your phone wallpaper may bring a blessing.

“Edo is Asakusa, a beloved beckoning cat born in Imado”

Guardian dog

Beckoning cats appeared throughout the grounds, along with two pairs of guardian dogs and one additional dog statue.

Matchmaking

Also, in Imado Shrine, when a wish written on a prayer votive came true, there was a custom of placing a fulfillment ema to report the fact to the god, and many prayer votives and fulfillment votives were hung on the ema rack.

Benches are lined up facing each other in front of the awarding place, and I heard that matchmaking events like matchmaking are also held there.

Asakusa Famous Places Seven Lucky Gods

Enshrined deity Fukurokuju

Fukurokuju is depicted as a kindly, white-haired figure with a youthful face, said to be several thousand years old. He represents three blessings: happiness, material security in life and work, and a long, healthy life.

Okita Souji's final resting place

At the end of the Edo period, Okita Souji, who was active in the Shinsengumi, which controlled public order under the Shogunate, was in the residence of the famous doctor Yoshizumi Matsumoto, where he took refuge after leaving the group due to illness.

It is written on the stone monument that the treatment was not successful and he died here.

Notes from the visit

Goshuin was available at the awarding place next to the shrine.

There are two types: one with the shrine name and one with the name of Asakusa Famous Seven Lucky Gods.
I think this goshuin is a unique and rare goshuin that can be stamped with a cute beckoning cat stamp or Fukurokuju stamp.