Showing 1-22 of 22 results
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Asakusa-Jinja (Asakusa Shrine)
The proximity of this Shintō shrine, behind Sensō-ji and to the right, testifies to the comfortable coexistence of Japan's two major religions. Asakusa-jinja was built in honour of the brothers who discovered the Kannon statue and is renowned as a fine example of an architectural style called gongen-zukuri . It's also the site of one of Tokyo's most important festivals, the Sanja Matsuri, a three-day extravaganza of costumed parades, about 100 lurching mikoshi (portable shrines) and stripped-to-the-waist yakuza sporting remarkable tattoos.
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Benten-Dō
Take a stroll down the causeway leading to the island on which Benten-dō stands. The temple is dedicated to Benzaiten, the Buddhist goddess of the arts, wisdom, the sea and the protector of children (she covers a lot of territory). More interesting than the temple itself is its location and the opportunity to see the birds and botany that thrive around the pond.
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Chingodō-Ji
This odd, peaceful little shrine on the banks of Dembō-in pays tribute to tanuki (raccoon dogs who figure in Japanese myth as mystical shape-shifters and merry pranksters). Tanuki are normally depicted with enormous testicles on which they can fly. Since (needless to say) they make for great subject matter, they frequently pop up in Japanese wood-cuts like Utagawa Kuniyoshi's The Seven Wonders of the Clowning Raccoon, in which the tanuki is shown cheerily dancing his way round a geisha house.
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Dembō-In
To the left of the temple precinct lies Dembō-in, a garden that adjoins the residence of the chief priest of Sensō-ji. The grounds are thought to have been designed sometime in the late 18th century to resemble those of Katsura-rikyu, the sprawling imperial villa in Kyoto.
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Fukagawa Fudō-Dō (Fukugawa Fudō Temple)
The history of this giant temple dates from 1703 as a sub-temple of Shinshō-ji in the city of Narita, one of the head temples of Shingon Buddhism. The main image, which is housed in a recently constructed inner hall, is Fudōmyō, a venerable Buddha depicted in murals by Nakajima Chinami (2004). On the 2nd floor is a gallery depicting all 88 temples of the 1400km pilgrimage route on the island of Shikoku - it is said that offering a prayer at each alcove has the same effect as visiting each temple.
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Gokoku-Ji (Gokoku Temple)
Though this temple has been declared an Important Cultural Property, it gets surprisingly few visitors. One of the few surviving Edo temples, it dates from 1680, and was built by the fifth Tokugawa shōgun for his mother. Exiting the temple grounds and turning to the left, you'll soon reach Toshimagaoka Goryo, an imperial mausoleum that is closed to the public.
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Hachiman-Jinja (Hachiman Temple)
It's so small that you might stroll past and not notice it - which is exactly what makes Hachiman-jinja worth pausing for. Real-estate values in Ginza have generally forced places of worship elsewhere (or relocated them to the rooftops of Ginza's temples of commerce). Near Shimbashi Station, this is one shrine that remains at street level, a feat that was achieved by building over the top of it.
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Hanazono-Jinja
During the day merchants from nearby Kabukichō come to this Shintō shrine to pray for the solvency of their business ventures, but at night the spotlights come on, legions of high school kids and salarymen show up, and action spills over from nearby Golden Gai and from further-away Yasukuni- dōri. On Sunday the grounds become a marketplace ( - ), where you'll find bargains on knick-knacks and, possibly, some antiques.
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Kanda Myōjin (Kanda Shrine)
Hidden behind the main streets, this little known but quite splendid Shintō shrine boasts vermillion-coloured halls surrounding a stately courtyard. It traces its history back to AD 730, though its present location dates from 1616. The kami (gods) enshrined here are said to bring luck in business and in finding a spouse. It is the home shrine of the Kanda Matsuri (Kanda Festival) in mid-May, one of the largest festivals in Tokyo.
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Kiyomizu Kannon-Dō
This red temple, up the path from the Takamori Saigō statue, was modelled after Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto. During Ningyō-kuyō, women wishing to conceive a child leave a doll here for Senjū Kannon (the 1000-armed goddess of mercy), and the accumulated dolls are ceremonially burnt each 25 September.
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Meguro Gajoen (Meguro Wedding Hall)
One look at the ads on virtually any subway car will tell you that wedding halls are big business in Tokyo. For better or for worse, Gajoen is one of the biggest, and as a study in anthropology you can hardly beat it. 'Wedding hall' doesn't do justice to its many storeys of chapels, banquet halls, expensive restaurants and hotel rooms.
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Meiji-Jingū (Meiji Shrine)
Tokyo's grandest Shintō shrine, this 1920 edifice enshrines the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, under whose rule Japan ended its isolation from the outside world. Destroyed in WWII bombings and reconstructed in 1958, the shrine buildings occupy just a corner of the precinct's 70 forested hectares (175 acres). In fact, its 100,000 trees are said to have been donated by 100,000 visitors from all over Japan.
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Meiji-jingū Gyōen
A lovely strolling garden at the Meiji Shrine. Once the property of two daimyō families, after it came under imperial control, Meiji himself designed the garden as a gift to the Empress Shōken. There are peaceful walks to the pond and teahouse and a good dose of privacy on weekdays, and spectacular irises and satsuki azaleas in season.
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Sensō-Ji (Senso Temple)
Asakusa's raison d'-être, Sensō-ji enshrines a golden statue of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, which was miraculously fished out of the nearby Sumida-gawa (Sumida River) by two fishermen in AD 628. In time, a structure was built to house the image, which has remained on the spot through successive reconstructions of the temple, including a complete postwar reconstruction following the aerial bombings at the end of WWII.
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Shinjuku-Gyōen (Shinjuku Park)
Though Shinjuku-gyōen was designed as an imperial retreat (completed 1906), it's now definitively a park for everyone. The wide lawns and diverse design (the garden applies French, English and Japanese horticultural principles) make it a favourite for urbanites in need of a quick escape. To make an afternoon of it, head for the east side where the glassed-in greenhouse displays subtropical waterlilies the size of party platters.
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Tomioka Hachimangū (Tomioka Hachiman Shrine)
Next door to Fukagawa Fudō-dō, this large shrine dates from 1627, and is closely associated with the world of sumō. Around the back of the main building is the yokozuna stone, carved with the names of each of these champion wrestlers. Also of note are two treasured mikoshi (portable shrines), used in the Fukagawa Hachiman festival in mid-August. The current mikoshi date from 1991, and are encrusted with diamonds and rubies - look in the eyes of the phoenix and other birds on top.
Read more about Tomioka Hachimangū (Tomioka Hachiman Shrine)
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Ueno-Kōen (Ueno Park)
Tokyo's oldest public park has several names: its Sunday name, which no-one ever uses, is Ueno Onshi Kōen; some locals dub it Ueno no Oyama (Ueno Mountain); and English speakers call it Ueno Park. Whichever you prefer, Ueno Kōen makes for a pleasant city escape.
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Yanaka Cemetery
One of Tokyo's oldest cemeteries, it's worth strolling the narrow lanes and continuing to Ueno on foot. Beyond the cemetery, the quiet Yanaka area has many old Buddhist temples and speciality shops.
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Yushima Seidō (Yushima Shrine)
Established in 1632 and later used as a school for the sons of the powerful during the Tokugawa regime, Yushima Seidō is one of Tokyo's few Confucian shrines. There is a Ming dynasty bronze statue of Confucius in its black-lacquered main hall, which was rebuilt in 1935. The sculpture is visible only from 1 to 4 January and the fourth Sunday in April, but you can turn up at weekends and holidays for a chance to see the building's interior.
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Yushima Tenjin (Yushima Shrine)
Across the way from Tokyo University, this particularly attractive Shintō shrine traces its lineage back to the 5th century. In the 14th century, the spirit of a renowned scholar was also enshrined here, which leads to Yushima Tenjin's current popularity: it receives countless pilgrims in search of academic success. Amid the buildings with their painted accents and gold trim (the latest reconstruction was in 1995), students hang messages written on wooden tablets called ema, left in hope that lofty exam scores will gain hopeful high-school students admission to the power generator across the street or universities nationwide.
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Zōjō-Ji (Zōjō Temple)
Behind Tokyo Tower is this former funerary temple of the Tokugawa regime, one of the most important temples of the Jōdō (Pure Land) sect of Buddhism. It dates from 1393, yet like many sights in Tokyo, its original structures have been relocated and subject to war, fire and other natural disasters. It has been rebuilt several times in recent history, the last time in 1974.
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Zōshigaya Cemetery
Not far south of Ikebukuro's commercial hub is the old residential district of Zōshigaya. This cemetery, a collection of weathered headstones surrounded by small paths and greenery, is the final resting place of authors Lafcadio Hearn, Nagai Kafu and Soseki Natsume.
Showing 1-22 of 22 results
