Hie-Jinja (Hie Shrine)

This Shintō shrine traces its roots to the sacred Mt Hiei, northeast of Kyoto, and it has been the protector shrine of Edo Castle since it was first built in 1478. The present site dates from 1659, though the shrine was destroyed in the 1945 bombings and later rebuilt in 1967. These days, the shrine is chiefly known as the host of one of Tokyo’s three liveliest matsuri, Sannō-sai. Given the shrine’s protector status, the festival was regularly attended by the shōgun, and even now the route of the festival’s mikoshi terminates at the Imperial Palace. When the festival’s not on, the shrine makes for a colourful yet quiet break. A highlight is the walk up through a ‘tunnel’ of torii, especially dramatic on a sunny day. The shrine is also great for a visit when the cherry blossoms are out or the leaves are changing. Oh, and if you’re wondering about the carved monkey clutching one of her young, she is emblematic of the shrine’s ability to offer protection against the threat of a miscarriage.