Hokkaido Jingu Tongu Downtown Shrine & Komainu, Sapporo, Hokkaido

About this place

Live Camera | Hokkaido Jingu Tongu Downtown Shrine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Tucked peacefully into the Chuo Ward streetscape near the Sosei River and Nijo Market, Hokkaido Jingu Tongu serves as the downtown branch shrine of Hokkaido's paramount grand sanctuary. Famed throughout Sapporo for granting good fortune in romance, marriage, and safe childbirth, the quiet sanctuary grounds are guarded by historic stone Komainu lion-dogs. Visitors conclude prayers with sweet traditional red-and-white Manten Daifuku mochi, before strolling to nearby retro cafes in Minami 2-Jo for pour-over coffees and sweet bean toast.

✦ Must-Visit Highlights:

▸ Enshrined Downtown Branch of Hokkaido Jingu: Pray at the venerated downtown sanctuary established to comfort city worshipers in 1878.

▸ Celebrated Komainu for Romance & Fertility: Touch the historic guardian lion-dog statues said to bless matchmaking and healthy babies.

▸ Sacred Manten Daifuku & Nijo Market Delicacies: Taste lucky red-bean filled rice cakes and walk to nearby stalls for morning seafood bowls.