We recently stopped by Kanda Myoujin, a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda (about a 5 minute walk from Akihabara, also known as electric town). This beautiful red shrine is one of the oldest in Tokyo, with roots back to 730 AD. It has moved around a bit over the years, but was thoroughly refurbished in 1995. It is one of the most colorful shrines I've seen in this city.
The deities enshrined here are guardians for 108 Tokyo neighborhoods. People come here to pray for family happiness, marriage, prosperity and success in business, recovery from illness, and protection against accidents and disasters. Considering how many disasters this shrine has survived (Great Kanto earthquake in 1923 and WWII fire bombing in 1945), I think it is a good place for those looking for blessings in that arena.
On the shrine grounds, there is a cultural center worth checking out. Inside the EDOCCO building including cultural demonstrations and classes (for a fee), a cafe, and a shop.
The shop was really impressive, selling all sorts of Shinto and historical themed goods. My husband spent some time looking at several of the Shinto items used to adorn the home. I checked out a table full of books. I immediately saw two books that I needed to take home. It is relatively difficult to find well written guides to Shinto and Japanese customs, but these books deliver the information in an easily digestible way. "A Visual Guide to Shinto" by Yamaguchi Satoshi and "Customs of Japan [Revised Edition]" by Tsuchiya Haruhito made their way home with me.
I have been periodically picking up both texts and reading small sections, learning so much from both books. Although I have learned a lot about both topics over the years, there is still a lot I do not know. I'm sure that these will become well worn resources very quickly.
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