Odosato Shrine

实用信息

• Shinto shrine
• 4 kmfrom Akiruno center
• 3.5 / 511 reviews
• Akiruno

Origins and Legend

Odosato Shrine was originally known as Washinomiya Daimyōjin — literally the Great Shrine of the Hawk Palace. Its founding date is officially unknown, but shrine tradition tells a remarkable story: during the 48th year of Emperor Suinin's reign, a sacred grove was established where people cultivated hemp and grain and produced textiles. The connection to weaving is no accident — the enshrined deity Amenohiwashi no Mikoto is a divine figure associated with the textile arts in Japanese mythology.↗

In 1392, the shrine underwent a significant transformation when Amenohohi no Mikoto, the celestial messenger who led the heavenly descendants down to earth, was enshrined alongside the original deity. The shrine was rebuilt at that time, merging two powerful mythological threads into a single sacred site.↗

Warlords and Fires

The shrine's connection to the wider world of feudal power came in 1562, when Hōjō Ujiteru — lord of nearby Hachiōji Castle and one of the most powerful warlords in the Kantō region — presented a stone lantern to Odosato Shrine as an act of prayer. This dedication shows that even in the turbulent Sengoku period, the shrine commanded respect beyond its local community.↗

Like many old shrines, Odosato suffered a devastating fire in 1735 that consumed the main buildings along with centuries of records, documents, and treasured objects. The current shrine hall was rebuilt in 1744, meaning the physical structures you see today carry the memory of loss as much as devotion.↗

Visiting

Odosato Shrine is not a major destination but a quiet neighborhood shrine set in the green hills of Akiruno — a city where temples and shrines often sit along walking trails surrounded by the natural beauty of the Tama uplands. The atmosphere is one of simple local piety: a modest torii gate, a small approach path through trees, and a shrine hall maintained by the community that has worshipped here for generations.↗↗

The shrine's annual festival (reisai) falls on September 15, when it is most likely to feel alive with visitors and ceremony. On any other day, expect a peaceful and intimate encounter with a place whose history reaches back to the mythology of weaving, imperial legend, and feudal warfare.↗

Getting There

From JR Musashi-Itsukaichi Station on the Itsukaichi Line, take a Nishi-Tōkyō Bus to the Ochiai Bridge stop. The shrine is just a two-minute walk from there. Akiruno itself sits about an hour from central Tokyo, making it an easy escape into the greener, quieter west.↗