Sugawara Shrine (Machida City)

The shrine stands on the site of the old battlefield of Ide-no-sawa, a historical site in Tokyo, and enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, widely known as the god of arts and sciences, as its main deity. It is also famous as one of the three Machida Tenjin shrines along with Machida Tenmangu Shrine in Haramachida and Tenjinsha Shrine in Minami-Oya.

According to the legend, in 1630, Osawa Gemba had a statue of the god of heaven from Tang China engraved and enshrined here as the town shrine of Honmachida. In 1902, the Meiji era, five shrines were enshrined together as Sengan Tenjinsha, Dairokutensha, Shichimensha, Inarisha, and Hakusansha in accordance with national policy.

The shrine is also home to Atago Shrine, which enshrines Kagutsuchi no Kami, the god of fire; Benten Shrine, which enshrines Benzaiten, the god of water; and Inari Shrine, which enshrines Uganomitama, the god of rice, and is a place of worship for local people.

Every year on August 25th, a summer festival is held, featuring a kagura dance by the village shrine maidens and a votive offering of picture lanterns. Many stalls are set up in the precincts of the shrine, which are crowded with worshippers.