Saichō-ji, Buddhist temple in Setagaya-ku, Japan
Saichō-ji is a Buddhist temple located in a residential neighborhood of Tokyo with traditional Japanese wooden architecture and design. The grounds include a main prayer hall, auxiliary buildings, and a cultivated garden featuring trees and vegetation.
The temple was founded by followers of the monk Saichō, who established the Tendai school of Buddhism in Japan during the early 9th century. This school drew from Chinese Buddhist teachings and shaped Buddhist practice across Japan for centuries.
The temple serves as a gathering place for the surrounding neighborhood, where residents visit regularly throughout the year. The wooden halls and garden provide a space where daily life and spiritual practice naturally blend.
The temple is open to visitors during daylight hours and offers a peaceful place to spend time without formal requirements. Early morning visits are ideal, as the surroundings are quieter and allow for a more reflective experience.
The temple houses ancient Buddhist texts and artifacts that document how Buddhism spread from China to Japan over time. These holdings reveal how religious ideas traveled and transformed across different cultures and centuries.
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