Kabuto Shrine

Nihonbashi Kabutochō, the birthplace of Japan’s banking industry, is also where you’ll find Kabuto Shrine, quietly standing just north of the Tokyo Stock Exchange beneath the Edobashi Junction of the Shuto Expressway. Revered as the guardian deity of the securities world and a god of commerce, the shrine holds deep ties to Japan’s financial district.

The main deity enshrined here is Ukanomitama-no-Mikoto, widely known as a protector of commerce. Despite its modest size, the shrine also enshrines Ōkuninushi-no-Mikoto (Daikoku-sama) and Kotoshironushi-no-Mikoto (Ebisu-sama), offering worshippers a wide range of blessings. Within the grounds lies Kabuto Iwa (“Helmet Rock”), around which several traditions circulate-some say a warrior who defeated Taira no Masakado buried his helmet here for memorial rites, while others recount that Minamoto no Yoshiie hung his own helmet on the rock to pray for victory in battle.

Amulets from Kabuto Shrine are available at the visitor reception counter on the first floor of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, while goshuin (shrine stamps) can be received at Nihonbashi Hie Shrine, located about 300 meters away. Next to Kabuto Shrine stands the historic Nisshōkan, completed in 1928 on the former site of Eiichi Shibusawa’s residence. Recognized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as a historic building, its elegant architecture is well worth a look.