Tennō-ji, Buddhist temple in Yanaka, Tokyo, Japan
Tennō-ji is a Buddhist temple for prayer and worship in Yanaka with a large Buddha statue and several historical stone markers throughout its grounds. The grounds contain different areas for prayer and viewing monuments from various periods.
The temple was founded in 1274 and later underwent a significant religious transformation when it shifted from Nichiren Buddhism to Tendai Buddhism in 1698. This change shaped the spiritual direction of the site for centuries to come.
The temple houses a statue of Bishamonten, one of the seven lucky deities that visitors encounter on a pilgrimage route through the Yanaka neighborhood. The statue draws people who come to visit this location as part of that traditional journey.
The temple sits about three minutes walk from JR Nippori Station, making it easy to reach. The grounds connect to a nearby cemetery through a path with trees, providing pleasant walking access to both locations.
During the Edo period, this location received special permission to conduct fortune lottery events, making it one of three major sites for this practice across Tokyo. This unusual activity was a significant part of its reputation during that historical era.
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