Keiō Inari-sha (慶應稲荷社)

Keio Inari-sha (慶應稲荷社)

Keio Inari-sha (慶應稲荷社) is an Inari shrine located within Keio University's Shinanomachi Campus, home to the School of Medicine, in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo.  The sign on its torii (shrine gate) reads "慶應稲荷大明神" (Keio Inari Daimyojin).  Religious structures are rare within the university, making this shrine a unique presence.

Around 1922, several senior faculty members of the medical school passed away in succession.  At the same time, on-duty staff reported seeing an apparition of a divine beast in their dreams, as if it were trying to communicate something.

Perplexed, some faculty members consulted a fortune-teller in Asakusa, who proclaimed that there is a kami (deity) near the pond (that used to exist around the north side of the current Education and Research Building) and wants to be brought into the world.  The fortune-teller advised them to build a shrine in its honor.

Chozubachi

Skeptical yet desperate, they excavated the area and discovered remnants of an old shrine, including fragments of a small shrine structure and a chozubachi (water basin).  Taking this as a sign, a group of volunteers built a new shrine at the current location.  After that, the strange occurrences ceased.

An inscription on the discovered chozubachi reads "嘉永五年" (Kaei 5), corresponding to the year 1852, suggesting that the original shrine once stood within one of the samurai residences that lined the area during the Edo period.  Over time, the shrine fell into ruin.  In the Meiji period, the site was repurposed as a military training ground before being transferred to Keio University in 1917, shaping its present-day use.

The shrine was destroyed during World War II but was rebuilt in 1953.  It underwent another reconstruction in 1963, funded by donations from volunteers.  The original wooden torii deteriorated over time and was replaced in 1979.

According to a 1984 issue of the university's hospital news, budget constraints made it difficult to rebuild the torii.  A university staff member took the initiative to purchase affordable iron pipes and construct the gate himself.  At the same time, his child underwent a high-risk heart surgery, which was successfully completed.  The newsletter noted that the torii was imbued with both the divine blessings of Inari Daimyojin and a father's deep love.

In the past, the Hatsuuma Festival (初午祭) was held annually in a grand manner, with participation from local residents.  Today, the festival is a quieter affair, during which a Shinto priest offers prayers for the safety and well-being of Keio University.

Kitasato Memorial Medical Library (北里記念医学図書館)

Building for Preventive Medicine & Public Health (予防医学校舎)

Nearby, within the campus, stand the Kitasato Memorial Medical Library (北里記念医学図書館) and the Building for Preventive Medicine & Public Health (予防医学校舎), both constructed before World War II.