What is Hie Shrine?
Hie Shrine is a cute, quaint, nicely presented shrine in the inner city of Tokyo. Although it is not big on any tourist map, it is one of the most popular shrines for Tokyoites to visit for worship. Not only that, but it is located right next to the prime minister’s building. So, it’s a fancy shrine. It is a Shinto shrine, and it is famous for its June festival, the Sanno Matsuri, and its beautiful wisteria in spring.
If you’re looking for things to do in Tokyo and you want an authentic Tokyo experience, a visit to see the wisteria at Hie shrine is what you need. Not only is the wisteria gorgeous but there is also a beautiful red torii gate that is the best photo spot in Tokyo! Keep reading to learn more about this stunning best-kept-secret by the locals.
When Does Wisteria Bloom at Hie Shrine?
One of the most popular spring flowers in Japan – after the sakura (cherry blossoms) of course – is wisteria (fuji in Japanese). The beautiful purple flowers start blooming around late April to early May in Tokyo, and there are several wisteria festivals held across the country. However, the pandemic has put a bit of a dampen on most festivals, so it is always best to check if they are still on.
What Is there to do at Hie Shrine?
See the Wisteria
During late April and early May, the shrine comes alive with wisteria. The wisteria hangs at the entrance to the shrine – you will find it right before the shrine itself after you step through the gates.
See the Red Torii Gates
This is a decent alternative to Fushimi Inari Shrine if you can’t go to Kyoto. The red torii gates line the staircase at the back of the shrine, and if you go early enough in the morning you can have them all for yourself.  This is a unique experience as lines of torii are not necessarily common. You would mostly find a single lone torii gate at the entrance of a Shinto shrine. They symbolise the transition from the mundane to the sacred.
Enjoy the Shrine
Once you enter the gates its quite beautiful inside. You can purchase lucky charms to hang at the shrine. However, there are not really any seats or benches to sit down to people watch or draw. For more information about specific traditional worship practices you can find them here at the official Hie Shrine website in English.
When is the best time to go to Hie Shrine?
It is best to go in the morning, especially during wisteria season as many Tokyoites come here to worship and to enjoy the wisteria. Although its not a touristy destination, it is still in Tokyo – which means it can get quite busy. Considering the current pandemic, I chose to go early in the morning as I lived nearby and there was only 2 or 3 groups of families there when I arrived at about 8am. There are many offices nearby which means salarymen also pass through here during the day.
How do you get to Hie Shrine?
Access is by escalator or the main staircase at the front of the shrine (there are A LOT of steps if you choose the staircase). You can also visit from the other side through the torii. You can easily access this shrine in 5-10 minutes from Kokkaigijidomae Station on the Chiyoda or Marunouchi line or Akasakamitsuke Station on the Ginza or Marunouchi line. Alternatively, you can get there from Nagatacho Station but it is about a 15 minute walk.
VERDICT
Was It Worth It?
100%. This is one of the best kept secrets by the locals. Hie Shrine is absolutely worth a visit if you’re in the area or looking to find a more authentic experience. You will get to have a shrine experience just like the locals. If you enjoy authentic Japanese temples and shrines I also recommend you check out the Lucky Cat (Maneki Neko) temple in Tokyo. I wrote a guide about it which you can find here.
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