Zenshō-ji

Zenshō-ji is a Buddhist temple in eastern Tokyo with traditional architecture and spaces for meditation and religious ceremonies. The grounds include a hillside garden and historical artworks housed within the main buildings.

The temple was founded during the Heian period and connected to the birth mother of the sixth Tokugawa shogun Ienobu. This link to an important feudal family shaped its role in the region.

Visitors come to the temple to pray and connect with Buddhist artistic traditions displayed throughout the grounds. The decorated spaces and religious objects reflect the spiritual practices that have taken place here for centuries.

Visitors can explore the grounds freely, though viewing certain interior spaces requires a small entrance fee. Wearing comfortable shoes helps when navigating stairs and pathways that lead up the hillside.

The grounds are home to an ancient cedar tree roughly 1,200 years old that holds designation as a National Natural Monument of Japan. This tree is one of the oldest living things at the location and draws nature enthusiasts.