The Weather Shrine was built in 1944 on the grounds of the former Imperial Japanese Army's meteorological department in Suginami Ward, according to Koenji Hikawa Shrine. In Shinto mythology, the deity's counsel persuaded the sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami to emerge from a cave, restoring light to the world -- a story the shrine cites as the basis for its association with weather. After meeting the shrine's chief priest, Kontani decided to leave the company in 2018 and become a Shinto priest, saying he saw potential in the Weather Shrine as visitor numbers increased.
Published at: 2026-02-14 21:38:29
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