Akasaka-Mitsuke

Akasaka-Mitsuke Station is located at the edge of Akasaka on the Metro Ginza and Marunouchi subway lines. As both Ginza and Marunouchi are old lines, the station lies close to the surface and uses short trains. The relatively small sized trains make these lines very crowded, and hence the station also becomes a busy and crowded place. Another feature of the Akasaka-Mitsuke Station is that it is connected by a long but very convenient tunnel to Nagatacho station on the Namboku, Hanzomon and Yurakucho lines.

Place of Interest:

The only sight within the area is the Hie Shrine, located on the top of a hill at the edge of Akasaka just 5 minutes walk from the Akasaka-Mitsuke Station. This famous Tokyo shrine was originally built in 1478 inside the Edo Castle (now the Imperial Palace) as protection from its enemies. It was moved to its present location in 1659 with its role as the guardian of the Palace unchanged.

The outside façade of the shrine is simple concrete, but its torii gate has images of the monkey, considered to be the messenger of the shrine god. Also located within the shrine is a museum with a display of Tokugawa swords and deity figures.

Once a year in mid-June, the shrine holds the Sanno Matsuri, one of the larger shrine festivals of Tokyo. This festival features parades of portable shrines and palanquins, processions of people in traditional court dress, music, dancing, and yatai stalls.