Azabu Hikawa shrine

Hi
Being a diehard Sailor Moon fan I could not avoid visiting the Hikawa shrine in Azabu Juuban (near Sendai hills). However the shrine appeared deserted when I got there. It was a weekday around 11 in the morning. Tried ringing the doorbell but they said "no one was there" and did not know when they come back. Anyone knows when the shrine is open?

shinto shrines and buddist temples in local communities(I mean not-a-tourist-attraction type) are usually like that. None is there except when some ceremony is taking place.

http://goo.gl/maps/cGGk7

And you can enter the shrine premises whenever you like.

Most small shrines open 1)2)3) all or 1) and 3) usual.

1)New-year days
2)Summer Fes
3)own regularly held fes day(days)

Azabu Hikawa Fes[—á‘å�Õ/Rei-tai-sai] SAT/SUN around 17 Sep every year.
http://shibanobu77.blog25.fc2.com/blog-entry-31.html
No summer fes.

New Year days photo.
http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/mileamu/imgs/d/8/d855091d.jpg

I see, well it was wierd since there were mamori charms visible from the window. It wont help using the doorbell either I suppose? It is just desertedmost time?

Actually who pays their salary in the shrines and temples? Is it voluntary work?

Greetings, fellow pilgrim :)

I had the same experience, the shrine was empty when I visited (which was actually on Children's Day this year) but I didn't mind, I just wanted to see it and take some photos. Hope you weren't too disappointed.

You probably already know this, but you should also visit Akasaka Hikawa Shrine, which is the one that appears in the anime (though, confusingly, it remains in the location of the Azabu shrine). Walking between the two, and taking in Roppongi Hills and Hinokicho Park on the way, was one of the most pleasant days of my Japan trip.

I'll be visiting Azabujuuban again. Maybe I could look for SM sights that still exist. If I have time. My first time near Azabujuuban I noticed it on the map of the metro. I got all dorky because of it. lol. I was like, "I know this name." It hit me later, oh, Sailor Moon.

I actually went to the Asakusa right after the Azabu one. Very nice staff (old male) was there at the moment of visit. Rain was pouring down so kinda deserted but he told me some history about the temple. It felt really awesome recieving a stamp for my shuin book, even though it looks simple compared to those of other probably more famous temples it is the most precious to me now.

I was about to mention the Sailor Moon connection but was afraid to sound like an unserious nerd.

Hmm. I don't know of any other SM sights that still exist in Azabu-juban. If you find any, I'd be very interested to hear so I can visit them on my next trip!

Outside Azabu, there's Sphere Tower, a.k.a. the Infinity Academy, on Tennouzu Isle (reached via the Tokyo Monorail). And there is a third Hikawa Shrine, which was used in the live-action version, but I didn't manage to find that one.

Well, just walking around in Azabu is cool enough even without the specific sights. There is the statue of a girl in one of the "parks" (actually just some stairs with benches and trees) not far from the subway station exit (unsure which number sorry). It was in one of the episodes.

The Ichinose (?) park under the freeways above ground passing right above the entrance to Azabu shopping area is still there by the Koban (on the other side of the road from Azabu Juuban area), though they were doing some renovations in that park when I got there this time.

That park has been in several episodes.

I actually did try to find which house could have been Usagis home but failed to find it. It obviously is not in the central area of Azabu Juuban where there are only tall buildings.

And as the previous poster said, there is the Tennozu isle (quite creepy being there when it is dark, hehe).

I will return with some more answers when I return home again. Also Tokyo Tower is still there, the schools they went to are still there (I think at least). The big Azabu Juuban vertical sign is gone though (since several years apparently).