Jisho-in, Buddhist temple in Nishi-Ochiai, Shinjuku, Japan.
Jisho-in is a Buddhist temple in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, Japan, made up of a main hall and several smaller shrines on the same grounds. Six Jizo statues stand across the site, some of them placed in areas dedicated to cats.
The temple's origins are traced to the Buddhist monk Kukai, who is said to have placed a Kannon statue here during a journey toward Mount Nikko. The site gained wider attention in the 15th century through a story connecting the military commander Ota Dokan to a black cat found on the grounds.
Jisho-in is often called the Cat Temple, a nickname rooted in an old story about a black cat that guided a samurai to safety. Today, visitors leave small offerings near the Jizo statues, and cat-themed items appear throughout the grounds as a quiet nod to that story.
The temple is about a 3-minute walk from Ochiai-Minami-Nagasaki Station on the Toei Oedo Line, making it easy to reach on foot. Entry is free during the day, so a short stop can fit naturally into a wider visit to the area.
Although the temple sits in a dense residential area, it is barely visible from the street and tends to catch visitors off guard when they step through the entrance. It is also one of the few temples in Tokyo where votive offerings are made specifically for pets, not just for people.
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