Onoterusaki Shrine

Author: Richard Perkins
Photos/Videos Taken: 2021/05/28・2021/09/21
Address: 2-13-14 Shitaya, Taito-ku,
Tokyo,【110-0004】

小野照崎神社 (onoterusaki jinja) is a Shintō shrine in the Taitō ward of Tokyo that’s dedicated to Ono Takamura, a scholar who was knowledgeable in law and worked as a state councilor.

At Onoterusaki Shrine are the traces of 喜宝院入谷庚申堂 (kihōin-iriya-kōshindō). This is a Buddhist temple that no longer exists but is referred to as a 三庚申 (sankōshin), one of three 庚申 (kōshin) temples in Japan. This is a temple that passes on the Chinese Kōshin religion. Along with this temple, there’s Kongōji (Yasaka Kōshindō) in Kyoto Prefecture and Shitennō-ji Kōshindō in Osaka Prefecture.

The word 庚申 (kōshin) is two characters, both corresponding to animals in the zodiac. The first character 庚 (kanoe) refers to a rat, and the second character 申 (saru) refers to a monkey.

Based upon the Chinese Taoism that preaches 三尸 (sanshi—the idea that there are bugs inside one's body), the Kōshin religion is made of several customs and beliefs. These customs and beliefs come from Buddhism, Shintō, 修験道 (shugendō—a religion which involves finding supernatural powers, saving oneself and the masses through various religious-based training in the mountains), and Japanese folk beliefs.