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All Japan Mitaka Inokashira Park Benzaiten Shrine

Inokashira Park Benzaiten Shrine

Legend says the goddess this shrine honors curses any couples that pass by.

Mitaka, Japan

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The shrine.   Wei-Te Wong / cc by-sa 2.0
Inokashira Beizaiten shrine.   KoinuSensei / Atlas Obscura User
Washing coins here is said to be good luck.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The lake.   KoinuSensei / Atlas Obscura User
Meisho Snow (Inokashira), part of the series “Snow, Moon and Flowers” by Utagawa Hiroshige.   Utagawa Hiroshige / Public Domain
From across the water   NomadDragon7 / Atlas Obscura User
Cherry blossoms in Inokashira Park.   Edomura no Tokuzo / CC BY-SA 3.0
The water of the lake was drained for cleaning, called “kaibori.”   Edomura no Tokuzo / CC BY-SA 4.0
Inokashira Beizaiten shrine on the lake.   KoinuSensei / Atlas Obscura User
Inokashira Beizaiten.   KoinuSensei / Atlas Obscura User
The bridge to Inokashira Benzaiten.   KoinuSensei / Atlas Obscura User
Inokashira Benzaiten shrine (in the center).   KoinuSensei / Atlas Obscura User
Swan boats.   KoinuSensei / Atlas Obscura User
Behind the shrine   NomadDragon7 / Atlas Obscura User
The lakeside temple of Benzaiten.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Fountains next to shrine   NomadDragon7 / Atlas Obscura User
Benzaiten, the (super-jealous) goddess of water.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
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Though peaceful, this Benzaiten temple comes with a legend that’s far from serene. Supposedly, the goddess has a rather jealous side and unleashes her spite at any lovestruck couples who pass by.

The serene temple stands atop an island within a lake within a large park in the western suburbs of Tokyo. Because Benzaiten is a goddess of water, equivalent to Saraswati of the Hindu pantheon, her shrine tends to be built on a waterfront. The statue of Benzaiten housed in this temple depicts a beautiful goddess with eight arms. It’s a hibutsu ("hidden Buddha") that’s shown to the public only once in 12 years, in the Year of the Snake.

And though beautiful, this goddess has a rather sinister urban legend attached to her. Couples are warned to avoid the park because going there (and riding a swan boat together) will cause Benzaiten to get jealous and curse the couple, causing them to break up. This legend has been around for decades and is widely known to people even outside Tokyo.

Despite this ominous legend, you can see many couples around the temple every day. The park might be too beautiful to miss just for a rumor, especially in spring when cherry blossoms fringe the lake. The park also offers other attractions like swan boats, a small zoo, and the ever-popular Ghibli Museum.

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Know Before You Go

It's one minute on foot from Inokashira Kouen Station and five minutes on foot from JR Kichijoji Station. It takes 15 minutes from Shibuya to Kichijoji via Keio Inokashira Line express service. The park is open all day and entry is free, but the boat ride and the zoo are charged separately. The temple is open from 7:00 to 4:30.

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Added By

KoinuSensei

Edited By

Hermit09, Fred Cherrygarden, Kerry Wolfe, NomadDragon7

  • Hermit09
  • Fred Cherrygarden
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • NomadDragon7

Published

June 4, 2018

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  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inokashira_Park
  • https://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/tokyo/attractions/inokashira-benzaiten/a/poi-sig/1545101/356817
Inokashira Park Benzaiten Shrine
4 Chome-1 Inokashira
Mitaka, 181-0001
Japan
35.699541, 139.574764
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Nearby Places

Futaba Cake Building

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Ghibli Museum

Mitaka, Japan

miles away

Higashi-Fushimi Inari Shrine

Nishitokyo, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Mitaka

Mitaka

Japan

Places 2

Nearby Places

Futaba Cake Building

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Ghibli Museum

Mitaka, Japan

miles away

Higashi-Fushimi Inari Shrine

Nishitokyo, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Mitaka

Mitaka

Japan

Places 2

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