Aug 23, 2013 - 1 min read

Juban-Inari Shrine

The shrine for all ages

By Eitetsu Terakado

Community writer

1 of 7

Chozuba to wash hands and rinse the mouth

Ring a bell to call the gods

Gate to the shrine

Treasure ship with seven gods

Frog popular among kids and locals

The story of the savior frog that put out the fire

Komainu: a guardian dog

Along Tokyo Prefectural Route 319 lies Juban-Inari Shrine. You can take a 15-minute walk along Route 319 from Roppongi Station or walk for 4 minutes from Azabu-Juban Station to get there. The shrine is located near the station and many people come to pray before and after work or school. There are also two frog statues sitting on the side of the shrine stairs that are very popular among children. There is a legend that when a fire occurred in the area, despite all the other buildings being burnt to ashes, one was unharmed because a great frog put out the fire. Ever since, the frog has been worshipped at this shrine.