Confidence
| Field | Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shrine name | 94% | Center calligraphy reads 「太子堂八幡神社」. Hello — top character resolves to 太 (futoi — fat), not 李 (sumomo — plum), distinguishable by the dot underneath the cross-strokes. The shrine is in Setagaya Ward and is documented for monthly-changing colorful seasonal goshuin featuring zodiac and seasonal animals — matching this design exactly. |
| Date | 97% | Right column reads 令和六年五月四日 = 4 May 2024. The "みどりの月" (Midori no Tsuki — "Green Month") seal in red confirms this is a Midori no Hi (Greenery Day) limited goshuin, issued specifically on 4 May (Greenery Day, a Japanese national holiday). |
Identification
- Name (Japanese): 太子堂八幡神社
- Name (Romanized): Taishidō Hachiman Jinja
- Type: Shinto shrine (Hachiman shrine network)
- Location: Taishidō, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo — near Setagaya-line Nishi-Taishidō Station
- Variant: Spring / Greenery Day limited goshuin (春・みどりの月限定 — May 2024)
- Date received: 令和六年五月四日 = 4 May 2024 (Greenery Day / みどりの日)
Reading the goshuin
| Element | Reading | Position |
|---|---|---|
| みどりの月 | "Midori no Tsuki" — old Japanese name for May ("Green Month") | Top left, red round seal |
| 奉拝 | Hōhai — "humbly worshipped" | Top right, brush |
| 太子堂八幡神社 | Taishidō Hachiman Jinja — shrine name | Center, large brush |
| Three animal figures | Maneki-neko (top, with 「春」 = Spring on body) + two animals below labeled 「招福」 (inviting fortune) | Center upper area, illustrated |
| Center red square seal | Shrine name in tensho with bird/dove illustration | Center |
| 令和六年五月四日 | 4 May 2024 | Left column, brush |
The trio of animal figures — a beckoning cat with "春" (Spring) on its body, plus two paired animals labeled "招福" (inviting fortune) — is a seasonally-changing motif. The shrine swaps the figures and labels each month and for each Japanese seasonal observance. For a May 4 (Greenery Day) goshuin, the spring/cat trio combines:
- The shrine's signature happy-rabbit / cat / good-fortune trio
- A "Spring" theme reflecting May 4 falling in Golden Week
Why a "Midori no Tsuki" stamp?
みどりの月 (Midori no Tsuki) is a poetic / classical name for May, meaning "the month of greenery" — referring to the fresh green foliage of late spring in Japan. みどりの日 (Midori no Hi / Greenery Day) is a Japanese national holiday observed on 4 May since 2007, when the holiday was moved from 29 April. It's part of the Golden Week holiday cluster (29 April – 5 May) and is dedicated to "communing with nature and being thankful for blessings."
Many shrines and temples issue Midori no Hi limited goshuin on 4 May, often with green ink or seasonal greenery motifs. Taishidō Hachiman Jinja's monthly-changing goshuin program includes a Midori-themed version each May. The 「みどりの月」 red seal on this goshuin makes the dedication explicit.
About the shrine — Taishidō Hachiman Jinja
Taishidō Hachiman Jinja is a Hachiman shrine in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, founded around the late Heian period (~1090s). It was developed as a tutelary shrine of the local Taishidō village. The name 太子堂 comes from a small Buddhist hall (堂) dedicated to Prince Shōtoku (聖徳太子, 574–622) that historically existed in the area.
Enshrined deity
- 応神天皇 (Emperor Ōjin) = Hachiman — the Hachiman deity, syncretized with Emperor Ōjin; protector of warriors and (in modern times) protector of business and family
"Happy-chan" (しあわせウサギ / Happy-chan)
The shrine has a beloved local mascot: しあわせウサギ (Happy-chan) — a real white rabbit kept on the shrine grounds in a small enclosure. Visitors come to see the rabbit specifically for enmusubi (matchmaking) and good-fortune blessings. The rabbit's presence is part of why the shrine's seasonal goshuin so often feature rabbits and cute animal motifs — the design language matches the shrine's actual mascot tradition.
What the shrine is known for
- 月替り御朱印 (monthly-changing goshuin) — colorful, hand-illustrated, with seasonal motifs that change every month and for every Japanese festival; one of Tokyo's most-collected limited-goshuin programs
- Setagaya-line "cat tram" route — the shrine sits on the Tōkyū Setagaya Line, which has a "Manekineko Train" (cat-themed train cars) connecting Gōtoku-ji and Taishidō Hachiman; many visitors do both shrines on a single Setagaya day
- Happy-chan rabbit — the shrine's living mascot
- Family blessings — common stop for parents bringing children for omiyamairi (newborn-blessing) ceremonies
Setagaya day (14 May 2024) — a missing piece
This goshuin is dated 4 May 2024, but the user's other Setagaya goshuin in this book — Gōtoku-ji (entry 05) and Setagaya Hachimangū (entry 08) — are both dated 14 May 2024, ten days later.
The Setagaya area has three nearby shrines/temples popular with goshuin collectors:
- Gōtoku-ji (maneki-neko origin) — May 14
- Setagaya Hachimangū (sumo) — May 14
- Taishidō Hachiman Jinja (this one) — May 4
So it appears the user did two separate Setagaya trips ten days apart, with this Taishidō Hachiman visit being part of a Greenery Day visit specifically for the limited goshuin. That's a reasonable choice because the May 4 limited goshuin would not be available on 14 May.
What the blessing carries
- 諸願成就 (shogan jōju) — fulfillment of various wishes (Hachiman blessing)
- 家内安全 (kanai anzen) — household safety
- 縁結び (enmusubi) — relationships (via Happy-chan rabbit's matchmaking association)
- 季節限定 / Greenery Day commemoration — the goshuin specifically commemorates this national holiday