A long, long time ago, a woman named Oiwa was married to a man named Iemon and they lived in Yotsuya. One day, a rich lady fell in love with Iemon and captured his heart with her money. Iemon ordered his servant "Put a little of this medicine into Oiwa's every meal". Day by day, Oiwa grew weak, lost her hair and the right side of her face became deformed. After this she was treated cruelly by the people around her and she died holding a grudge against them. After her death many strange things happened and all of the people who had mistreated her died.

Iemon's wife Oiwa was born here, and it was here that she lived out a dramatic and tragic life. After her death, people built the Inari Shrine in her memory.

Access to Myogyoji Temple and Oiwa Inari Take the Toei-Mita Line or theToden-Arakawa Line Four minutes on foot from Nishi Sugamo Station. (Toei-Mita Line) Two minutes on foot from Shin-Koshinzuka Station. (Toden-Arakawa Line)

This is Oiwa's grave. She died on February 22, 1636. They say that if you stand here and wish hard enough then your wish will come true. If you proceed straight through the graveyard, you will find a red torii (a Shinto shrine archway) and a large tree. Her grave is under the tree. They say that if it is only out of curiosity that you visit Oiwa's grave, then your right eye will become swollen, just like hers was.

In the Edo Period (1603-1869) Shinzaburo, who lived in Ueno, fell in love with Otsuyu, but because of the difference in their families' social status it was impossible for them to meet. After a time, Otsuyu became very ill and she died, saying that she wanted to see Shinzaburo. Oyone, who was Otsuyu's nurse died soon after. On the 13th of August that year, with the sound of their geta (Japanese wooden clogs) echoing all around, Otsuyu and Oyone came to visit Shinzaburo. Shinzaburo, who was not aware that Otsuyu had passed away welcomed them with delight. However the man who lived next door, seeing this, told Shinzaburo that they were ghosts. Upon hearing this, Shinzaburo became scared. He got some talismen from the temple, placed them throughout his house and did not venture outside. However, he was betrayed when his neighbor destroyed the talismen. Poor Shinzaburo was killed by Otsuyu's ghost.