The man was bowing towards the main hall of Zojo-ji Temple from the Sangedatsu-mon gate

Man bowing over the Sangedatsu-mon Gate
The main hall of Zojo-ji Temple seen beyond the Sangedatsu-mon Gate
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Compared to Senso-ji Temple, which attracts a large, if not non-existent, number of tourists, Zojo-ji Temple in Shiba attracts fewer tourists than Senso-ji Temple, which attracts a surprisingly large number of tourists. The temple is located at the knee of the Tokyo Tower, has a magnificent temple complex, a long history and a mausoleum of the Tokugawa Shogun in one corner of the temple grounds, but it does not seem to be attractive to tourists (especially foreign visitors). But that is good. In the uncrowded precincts of Zojo-ji Temple, you can wander around to your heart's content without getting choked up by the swollen crowd.

I can't really say, because I am one of those who visit shrines and temples for sightseeing, but if the temple is crowded with many obvious tourists or people in cosplay, like Senso-ji, I worry that it will cease to function as a religious institution, which is its original function. Or perhaps the Buddhas enshrined in the temples, unlike me, have a wide range of tolerance, so they accept such situations as trivial and don't pay attention to them? Well, even if the Buddhas don't care, the human monks must have their own thoughts. I wonder what is happening in Kyoto, which is much more overtouristic than Tokyo.

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May 2024 PEOPLE TOKYO

PHOTO DATA

No

12588

Shooting Date

Sep 2023

Posted On

May 11, 2024

Modified On

May 14, 2024

Place

Shiba, Tokyo

Genre

Street Photography

Camera

SONY ALPHA 7R V

Lens

EF135MM F2L USM

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