Tokyo is home to some of the most advanced technology the world has to offer. As you see some of that amazing technology you’ll also stumble across shrines and temples that are centuries old. This huge metropolitan area is home to both the fast pace of city life and the slower pace of days gone by. So with that I’m going to talk about the temples and shrines i went to while in this sprawling city.
I want to first start out with explaining the difference between a shrine and a temple as many likely don’t know the difference. A shrine is part of the Shinto religion while a temple is from the Buddhist religion. The most physically obvious signal you’re in a Shinto Shrine is that you will enter through a Torii gate while in a Buddhist Temple you will usually see a pagoda and you’ll always find an image of Buddha.
The temple I went to in Japan was Sensoji and it’s the oldest temple in Tokyo. It’s said to have existed for nearly a millennium and a half and was at one point one of the family temples of the shogun, Ieyasu, that founded the city of Edo which is now Tokyo. Sensoji is truly magnificent with a large pagoda standing for all to see. When you first enter you’ll smell the incense burning close to the entrance. There are numerous gates on the temple ground so be sure to take a look at them. Of course you can stop to say a prayer with incense that you can buy at one of the shops close to the incense burner. The Nakimase Dori, which is a busy street inside the temple grounds, is home to many different shops where you can pick up souvenirs and other items. You can also rent a kimono so don’t be surprised to see lots of people in beautiful clothing.
I have to talk about the shrine I visited which was Imado Jinja. It is the birthplace of the Maneki Neko or Lucky Cat. The shrine is full of maneki Neko statues and of course you can buy souvenirs there. It’s a cat lovers dream when walking through it! The shrine is beautiful with Gingko trees. Granted i went in December and wouldn’t have really known the type of trees they were had i not been nearly hit by a falling seed that hit the pavement with an audible crack. The main entrance has two pictures of two side by side Lucky Cats to greet you as you enter the shrine.
Of course when you come you’ll want to pray so you should be sure to look up how to do that as there are customs to follow once inside the gates. I am no expert in this regard so please be sure to do your research! Take some time to visit Tokyo and be sure to visit some temples and shrines. Of course I would encourage you to visit Imado Jinja and Sensoji but that’s up to you!
Sincerely Yours,
Pocket Elf Travels
