Frommer's Tokyo by Beth Reiber

Author:Beth Reiber
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Published: 2012-04-24T16:00:00+00:00

Shrines & Temples

In addition to the temples and shrines listed here, don’t forget Sensoji Temple and Meiji Jingu Shrine (see “The Top Attractions,” earlier). If you have time, I also like the brightly decorated Nezu Shrine, famous for its azaleas in spring, and Sengakuji Temple, dedicated to 47 ronin (masterless samurai) who avenged their master’s death even though they knew it meant their own demise.

Kiyomizu Kannon-do Temple Established in 1631 and moved to its present site overlooking Shinobazu Pond in 1698, this small but important structure is said to be a copy of the famous Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto (but on such a less grand scale, it’s hard for me to see the similarity). It was once part of the Kan’eiji Temple precincts that covered Ueno Hill during the Edo Period. Remarkably, the temple survived both the 1868 battle between Imperial and shogunate forces and bombings during World War II. Today, it’s one of Tokyo’s oldest temples. It enshrines Kosodate Kannon, protectress of childbearing and child-raising; women hoping to become pregnant come here to ask for the goddess’s mercy, and those whose wishes have been fulfilled return to pray for their child’s good health and protection. Many leave behind dolls as symbols of their children. Once a year, on September 25, a requiem service is held for all the dolls at the temple, after which they are cremated.

Ueno Park, Taito-ku. 03/3821-4749. Free admission. Daily 7am–5pm. Station: Ueno (3 min.). Tokyo Shitamachi Bus: Ueno Koen Yamashita.

Toshogu Shrine ★ Come here to pay respects to the man who made Edo (old Tokyo) the seat of his government and thus elevated the small village to the most important city in the country. Erected in 1651, it’s dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Like Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, it was built by Ieyasu’s grandson, Iemitsu, and boasts some of the same richly carved, ornate design favored by the Tokugawas, especially the Chinese-style gate. Remarkably, it survived the civil war of 1868, the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, and even World War II. The pathway to the shrine is lined with massive stone lanterns, as well as 50 copper lanterns donated by daimyo from all over Japan. The shrine, closed, unfortunately, for renovation until 2014, contains some exquisite art, including murals by a famous Edo artist, Kano Tan-yu, and clothing and samurai armor worn by Ieyasu. At the counter to the left you can buy good-luck charms that will supposedly bring you fortune, happiness, and other earthly desires. On a more somber note, a flame on shrine grounds, lit from flames burning in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, appeals for world peace.

Ueno Park, Taito-ku. 03/3822-3455. Free admission. Daily 9am–4:30pm. Station: Ueno (4 min.). Tokyo Shitamachi Bus: Ueno Koen Yamashita.

Yasukuni Shrine ★ Built in 1869 to commemorate Japanese war dead, Yasukuni Shrine is constructed in classic Shinto style, with a huge steel torii gate at its entrance. During times of war, soldiers were told that if they died fighting for their country, their spirits would find glory here; even today, it’s believed that the spirits of some 2.

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