This article is based on a visit made on 13 November 2016.
Previously on Sekai Ichi, I made a brief stop in the Asakusa district, walking up from the Kaminari-mon gate to the main hall of Senso-ji (浅草寺,
Sensō-ji) temple. But you probably already know all about them. Senso-ji is one of the most famous tourist attractions in all of Tokyo, if not Japan. In fact, I only posted pictures of its main buildings now
because I haven't shown you what they look like during the day. Senso-ji is, however more than just its main hall, so let's strike off the beaten path, shall we?
But let's stay on the topic of the main hall for a bit, if only to swing around and look at it from the side. This angle in particular shows how brightly-painted and ornate it is, thanks largely to renovations from earlier in the decade. If you look closely, you may notice the use of swastikas as part of the building's decoration. This is perfectly normal and well-meant, as the symbol has been used in Buddhism and various other cultures for centuries. Swastikas are even used to mark Japanese Buddhist temples on maps, although maps made for English-speakers unaware of its distant history may use a different icon for this purpose.
There are actually plenty of buildings which make up the Senso-ji complex. The Yogo-do (影向堂,
Yōgōdō) is a hall off to the west of the main hall, enshrining disciples of the Boddhisatva Kannon, the main deity of this temple.
The Yogo-do is also where I bought my first
goshuin-cho (御朱印長,
goshuinchō), a sort of book for collecting stamp seals from shrines and temples. Most of these places include a counter, usually in one of the side halls, where you hand in your goshuin-cho, and a priest or other attendant will write a short prayer and put a stamp on one of these pages. One of these books usually costs ¥1,000-1,500, and individual stamps cost around ¥300 each. However, as this is a religious service, please be respectful when you do so. In fact, it is recommended that you make a prayer and small donation at the shrine or temple first.
Another side hall, this one known as Yakushi-do (薬師堂,
Yakushidō). It was built under the reign of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1649, making it one of the oldest surviving buildings of Senso-ji. Although halls like these may appear closed, they still have open offering boxes up front, so you may choose to address your prayers to a wider variety of deities.
A bright yellow tree. It was most likely a ginkgo, since its leaves turn a golden yellow colour in autumn.
A pretty young lady going about in her pink kimono was nice enough to pose for some pictures. If you do wish to take a picture of someone in such attire, you should definitely ask for their permission, in Japanese if you can manage it. Besides, if you stay in Japan long enough, you'll see this kind of dress often enough that it no longer becomes such a big deal.
This giant sandal, and its pair on the other side, were hung on the back of the Hozo-mon gate. They are called called
o-waraji,
"waraji" (草鞋, lit. 'grass sandal') being a type of straw-rope sandal which also used to be offered at temples, as part of prayers for foot health and safety during travel. The pair at Senso-ji was built in Murayama City, Yamagata Prefecture, with the first one donated in 1941 and replacements arriving roughly every ten years. Both sandals of this set each stand 4.5 metres (4 feet 9 inches) tall and weigh 2,500 kilogrammes (5,500 pounds). More information, from The Japan Times:
(English)
A mother-and-child Jizo statue. Jizo (地蔵, Jizō), a Boddhisatva originally known as
Kṣitigarbha in Sanskrit, is the guardian of children and travellers, and the patron deity of deceased children. Jizo statues are common in Japan, and are often decorated with red bibs, kerchiefs, or other small items of clothing. In fact, if you've ever played
Super Mario Bros. 3, you may be interested to know that the statue Mario can transform into in his Tanooki Suit is, in fact, a Jizo statue. Huh, I'm curious to know how Buddhism made its way into the Mushroom Kingdom...
Back to reality, this is a
nison-butsu, literally "two Buddhas" in Japanese. The statue on the left side is believed to bring mercy to worshipers, and the one on the right, wisdom.
Leaving Senso-ji for a while, we see some local businesses which have crafted unique methods of catching one's eye. This ramen restaurant has a statue of a man in Edo-period garb sitting on the roof. There are others like it around the neighbourhood, including right across the street.
And then, there's a cafe with an soybean-shaped mascot whose name, according to the base of this statue, is "Mamezou-kun" (まめぞうくん,
Mamezō-kun). The offerings available at this establishment include varieties of dango (rice dumplings) and parfaits.
Finally, nearby is Hanayashiki (花やしき), a small amusement park. It has operated since 1853, allegedly making it the oldest running amusement park in Japan. But alas, I couldn't spend any time there; since I had spent so much time waiting for my goshuin-cho (it was a busy day) that I pretty much had to rush to my next destination: the Tokyo Water Bus pier!
Senso-ji Temple
Hours: The temple grounds are always open. The main hall is open from 6:00 AM (or 6:30 AM from October to March) to 5:00 PM.
Cost: Free.
Address: 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒111-0032
Access: The Kaminari-mon gate is only 1-3 minutes from Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza
(G), Toei Asakusa
(A), and Tobu Skytree
(TS) lines), depending on the line and exit used. The closest exits are Ginza exit 1 and Asakusa exit A4. Either way, turn right under Kaminari-mon onto the Nakamise shopping avenue. The temple is at the end of the road, about 400 meters (¼ mile) later.
Website:
(English) (Japanese)
