Mangan-ji

Mangan-ji is a Buddhist temple in Todoroki with traditional Japanese architecture and copper-roofed buildings arranged along straight white stone paths. The architect Yoshida Isoya designed these pathways in 1970 to shape the temple grounds.

The temple was founded during the late Heian period and rebuilt in 1470 as a prayer hall dedicated to the Kira clan. During the Edo period it gained special recognition and status within the region.

The temple houses one of Japan's three renowned Jizo statues, revered as a wish-granting figure that attracts those seeking blessings. Visitors come specifically to pray before this sacred statue.

The temple sits four minutes on foot from Todoroki Station on the Tokyu Oimachi Line, making it easy to reach by train. The garden is open to visitors only on three specific days each year, so plan your visit accordingly.

The temple grounds include a pond garden designed by master landscaper Iwaki Kotaro, a detail that many visitors overlook. The garden's restricted access adds to the sense of discovering something special on those rare opening days.