Visit “Koami Shrine” Known as a Sacred Spot for Warding Off Evil and Wash Money to Get Lucky

“Koami Shrine” (小網神社) which is located close to Ningyocho Station, Tokyo, is one of the Nihonbashi Shichifukujin (日本橋七福神, 7 Deities of gods), that brings people the good fortune such as human virtue and financial virtue. Although this shrine is a small one surrounded by Nihonbashi buildings, it’s famous as ‘the shrine of good luck and protects from evil’ with various episodes related to good luck.

Koami Shrine which was established in 1466 is a shrine built to calm the diseases that were prevalent at that time around the current around Koami-cho. During World WarⅡ, it’s said that all the soldiers who received blessings from the shrine returned home safely. In addition, although the entire Tokyo was damaged at the time of the Tokyo Great Air Raid, the ground including the shrine was miraculously spared. From these anecdotes, it seems that this shrine was worshipped as ‘the god of good luck and protect from evil’.

The must-see spot in this shrine, it’s the Keyaki-zukuri main hall (made from zelkova) and Kaguraden architecture. (sacred music and dancing performed at the shrine). Both were built in 1929, and are certified as the only prewar wooden shrine architecture in the Nihonbashi area. The repair work was carried out in 2016, but in order to take over the magnificent main hall and Kaguraden to the next generation, it seems that only the roof copper plate was replaced, leaving all the conventional wood.

Furthermore, it’s also famous for its ‘good luck with money.’ Tokyo Zeniarai Bebten (東京銭洗弁天, money washing well and Tokyo money washing Benten respectively) is enshrined next to the main hall, it’s near the ‘Zeniarai no I’ (銭洗いの井, well to wash money). It’s believed that if you wash the money and put it into your wallet, you will have good luck with money. For those who want to have good luck including economics, it’s a must-visit shrine.