The accompanying woodblock print depicts Hiyoshi Sanno Shrine, better known today as Hie-jinja in Chiyoda-ku. A stairway on the left ascends through a thick pinery, leading the viewer into the spacious precincts of the shrine.

The firm, rigid outlines of the cloistered main hall in contrast to the soft brushwork of the surrounding pines enhance the dignity and serenity of the shrine in the print.

The shrine is dedicated to Sanno Gongen, a deity who was highly revered by the Tokugawa shoguns. Sanno Gongen was a Buddhist manifestation of an indigenous Japanese god of mountains called Oyamakui-no Kami and had been worshipped at another location -- in what is now Otemachi -- centuries before Edo became the center of shogunate rule.

In 1457, Ota Dokan (1432-86) built his castle and upheld the worship of Sanno Gongen, venerating it as the "landlord" of the castle grounds. Tokugawa Ieyasu continued to worship this deity after taking over the castle in 1590. But when the castle was later expanded, the shrine was moved to Hirakawacho, and then to the hilltop southwest of Edo Castle in 1657 (see the map).

To pacify the wrath of Sanno Gongen and co-enshrined deities for being moved away from their home, the second shogun, Hidetada, donated a large parish in the city and allowed the shrine's procession in the June festival to go through the castle grounds -- a privilege also granted to the gods of Kanda Myojin. (See this column May 7, 2004.)

The wooded hill that became the new home to Hiyoshi Sanno Shrine -- and where it still stands -- is the same upland of Nagatacho, which we explored in last month's column.

This walk, therefore, is a kind of extension of the Sakurada Gate exploration of last month. However, if you want to start here then the walking instructions begin at Kokkai Gijido-mae Station on the Chiyoda and Marunouchi Lines.

Leaving the station by Exit No. 1, turn right and then immediately right again and walk along the west side of the Diet building. You'll find yourself surrounded by tight security (uniformed guards and police vans all around) and be reminded that this is the heartland of Nagatacho -- Japan's political center.

Turn left at the next stoplight and walk downhill on a road called Sanno-zaka. It's called this because this road was the front approach to Hiyoshi Sanno Shrine.

A procession starts from here during the annual festival in June in the morning and then returns in the evening after a whole day parading through Chuo-ku and Chiyoda-ku.

The original shrine buildings built in 1659 were destroyed during air raids in 1945, but were reconstructed after the war.

While the basic layout of the stairway and the main hall remains unchanged, a modern shrine office and reception hall have been built on the left side. The several Buddhist subsidiary shrines that stood there were removed in 1868 under a Meiji edict to separate Buddhism and Shinto religions.

Ascending the stairway and entering the courtyard via the roofed gate, you savor the sensation of simplicity and calmness intrinsic to Shinto shrines. Looking back at the gate, wooden statues of monkeys are housed in the side sections. Since this animal is believed to be the divine messenger of Sanno Gongen, two stone monkeys sit in front of the main hall, instead of guardian dogs that you would usually see at a Shinto shrine.

Leaving the courtyard via the left-hand exit, as you turn around you will come across a cinnabar-colored torii gate with a simple worship-hall behind. You can enter the hall and find two small subsidiary shrines flanked by a pair of stone dogs. The left-hand shrine is dedicated to the deity Inari and is the only building that survived the World War II bombings. Presumably built when Sanno Gongen moved in here, this little shrine can be seen among pine trees in the upper right of the print.

The old approach to the Inari shrine has been rebuilt and it boasts the red banners and a tunnel of vermilion gates that are associated with this popular god. The stairway descends rather abruptly to the front gate on Sotobori-dori, which is a reminder of the original lay of the land -- a cliff used to overlook a large pond called Tameike. Nothing remains of the pond now among the sea of modern high-rises apart from the nearby subway station's name, Tameike Sanno.

On a full-moon night in late September, Hie-jinja organizes an enchanting evening concert. At 6 p.m., when lights begin to glisten in the windows of surrounding high-rises, thunderous beats of taiko drums signal the start of rare outdoor performances of gagaku -- traditional music and dances of the imperial court. In the dark courtyard, a square stage looms up in bright lighting, and silk-robed musicians and dancers perform selected pieces from repertoires dating from the early Heian Period (794-1185). It's an ingenious idea to adapt the time-honored celebration of the harvest full moon with a backdrop of modern Tokyo, so this elegant concert is one of a kind and a must-see this month.