The Zodiac Gods of Horikiri

The Horikiri neighborhood in Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, is famed for its iris garden, but visitors may also find, to their surprise, unusual (yet familiar) divinities worshipped here.

In the local Tenso Shrine, a set of anthropomorphic animal statues stand along a quiet street, simple but striking. Those in the know can soon figure out that these are based on the Chinese zodiac, a major part of traditional Japanese calendar and culture. Even so, the 12 zodiacal animals are rarely worshipped as deities in Japan, despite its pantheistic tendencies.

Dedicated to the sun god Amaterasu, Tenso Shrine was originally founded in 1165 (or 1560) though the current building only dates back to 1968. It is often associated with the Seven Lucky Gods, whose effigies also stand outside its sacred grounds.

The worship of the seven in Horikiri started when a statue of Benzairen (Saraswati), one of the lucky gods, was found from an on-site pond when it was landfilled in the early 20th century. Subsequently, decades later, the 12 zodiacal gods were added to its auspicious pantheon.