Confidence
| Field | Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shrine name | 99% | Center calligraphy reads 神田神社 cleanly. Center red square seal in tensho confirms the shrine name. The bottom-right red dragon stamp marked 「神田明神 / 辰」 is the documented 2024 Year-of-the-Dragon variant. The right column 「元准勅祭十社之内」 (Moto Junchokusai Jissha) confirms Kanda Myōjin's status as one of the 10 Tokyo Imperial-Designated Shrines. |
| Date | 97% | Left column reads 令和六年五月二十日 = 20 May 2024. Same Tokyo pilgrimage day as entries 11–17. |
Identification
- Name (Japanese): 神田神社 (popularly 神田明神 / Kanda Myōjin)
- Name (Romanized): Kanda Jinja (Kanda Myōjin)
- Type: Shinto shrine — one of the 10 Tokyo Imperial-Designated Shrines
- Location: Sotokanda 2-chōme, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo — on a rise between Akihabara and Ochanomizu
- Variant: Standard goshuin with 2024 Year-of-the-Dragon (辰年) commemorative dragon stamp
- Date received: 令和六年五月二十日 = 20 May 2024
Reading the goshuin
| Element | Reading | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 奉拝 | Hōhai — "humbly worshipped" | Top right, brush |
| 元准勅祭十社之内 | "Among the Former Imperial-Designated Ten Shrines" | Right column, small red rectangle/brush |
| 神田神社 | Kanda Jinja — shrine name | Center, large brush |
| 神田神社 (tensho) | Shrine name in seal script | Center red square seal |
| Red dragon illustration | 2024 Year of the Dragon (辰年) commemorative motif | Bottom right, illustrated in red |
| 神田明神 / 辰 | "Kanda Myōjin / Dragon" — under the dragon stamp | Bottom right, small red text |
| 令和六年五月二十日 | 20 May 2024 | Left column, brush |
Why a dragon? — 2024 Year of the Dragon
2024 was the Year of the Dragon (甲辰 / kinoe-tatsu) in the Japanese zodiac. Many Japanese shrines issued zodiac-year limited goshuin in 2024 featuring dragon imagery. Kanda Myōjin's version added a stylized red dragon stamp to the standard goshuin design throughout 2024.
The dragon also has special meaning at Kanda Myōjin: 辰の市 (Tatsu-no-Ichi — Dragon Market) historically took place at the shrine, and the dragon is a generic symbol of imperial authority and good fortune. The 2024 dragon-year stamp therefore had thematic resonance beyond just the zodiac.
"元准勅祭十社" — the Tokyo Imperial-Designated Ten
The right-column inscription 「元准勅祭十社之内」 (Moto Junchokusai Jissha-no-Uchi — "Among the Former Imperial-Designated Ten Shrines") refers to a specific group of ten Tokyo shrines that the Meiji Emperor designated as imperial-protectorate shrines for the new capital in 1868, when he moved from Kyoto to Edo (renamed Tokyo). The ten were ordered to perform special rituals on imperial occasions and provide spiritual protection to the new imperial capital:
| # | Shrine | Modern district |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 日枝神社 (Hie Jinja) | Akasaka |
| 2 | 神田神社 (Kanda Myōjin) | Sotokanda — this entry |
| 3 | 大國魂神社 (Ōkunitama Jinja) | Fuchū |
| 4 | 氷川神社 (Hikawa Jinja) | Ōmiya / Akasaka |
| 5 | 品川神社 (Shinagawa Jinja) | Shinagawa |
| 6 | 富岡八幡宮 (Tomioka Hachimangū) | Kōtō |
| 7 | 白山神社 (Hakusan Jinja) | Bunkyō |
| 8 | 王子神社 (Ōji Jinja) | Kita |
| 9 | 亀戸天神社 (Kameido Tenjinsha) | Kōtō |
| 10 | 根津神社 (Nezu Jinja) | Bunkyō |
(Note: The list has shifted slightly over the years, with substitutions made to substitute one shrine for another — different sources give slightly different "10s" depending on the year referenced. 神田神社 is a constant on every variant.)
The "元准勅祭" ("Former Imperial-Designated") qualifier is used because the system was abolished in 1947 with the postwar separation of religion and state. The ten shrines no longer have any official imperial role, but the historical title is still mentioned with pride on goshuin from these shrines. There is also a modern Tokyo Jissha Pilgrimage (東京十社めぐり) — a popular pilgrimage circuit visiting all ten in a single multi-day route.
Comparison with the user's other Kanda Myōjin goshuin
The user has TWO Kanda Myōjin goshuin in this book:
| # | Variant | Date | Distinguishing features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02 | 神田祭 / Sukunahikona 150-year commemorative | May 2023 | Three-mikoshi illustration, 150th anniversary inscription, festival-focused |
| 18 (this) | 2024 Standard with Year of the Dragon stamp | 20 May 2024 | Dragon stamp, 元准勅祭十社 marker, Tokyo Jissha credential |
So the user collected Kanda Myōjin twice — once during the 2023 Kanda Festival (its biggest annual event, held biennially), and once a year later in 2024 (for the dragon-year stamp). Together they document Kanda Myōjin's two-pronged identity: festival shrine + Tokyo imperial-designated shrine.
What the blessing carries
- 商売繁盛 (shōbai hanjō) — business prosperity (Ōkuninushi's primary domain)
- 縁結び (enmusubi) — relationships
- 必勝・厄除け (hisshō / yakuyoke) — victory / misfortune protection (Taira no Masakado's vengeful-spirit-turned-protector role)
- IT industry protection — Kanda Myōjin sits adjacent to Akihabara and has self-positioned as the patron shrine of the Japanese tech and otaku industry. Many Tokyo IT companies, anime studios, and game developers make annual visits. The shrine sells tech-themed amulets and has hosted Love Live! anime collaborations.
- 東京十社巡り (Tokyo Jissha Pilgrimage) — credit toward completing the 10-shrine imperial circuit