Atago Jinja Shrine 愛宕神社

Climb the steps to success at this rustic shrine near Tokyo Tower

Success does not come easy–and be prepared to work for it during your visit to the rustic Atago Jinja Shrine, located near Tokyo Tower and the Toranomon business district. To get to the shrine, you will need to first climb up a steep flight of 86 stairs–dubbed the "stone steps to success."

The shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the shrine built in 1603 atop Atago Hill, to protect the newly-minted capital of Edo (present day Tokyo) from fire and disasters. The ritual today has its roots from a young ambitious samurai who dared to ride his horse up and down the hill, winning much praise from the shogun.