A worshipper paid homage to Daikokuten and Ebisu-son erected at Jindai-ji Temple

Daikokuten and Ebisu at Jindai-ji Temple

Many people know that the oldest temple in Tokyo is Senso-ji in Asakusa. But how many people know which is the second oldest temple in Tokyo? Many people probably don't know because the second oldest temple is much less well known than the first. However, if one were to ask whether the precincts of Jindai-ji Temple, the second oldest temple in Tokyo, located in Chofu, are deserted, the answer would be no. Soba noodle shops serving the famous Jindai-ji soba, as well as the temple's precincts, are packed with people.

According to a legend, the temple was built in 733, which means that Jindai-ji has a history of nearly 1,300 years. In one of the precincts of this ancient temple sits a statue that looks new. They are Daikokuten and Ebisu, smiling under the roof as if flaunting their drum bellies. The reason they do not look old is that they were originally housed in a private home and were relocated to this location in 2006. Not much time has passed since then.

Although the statue has a beaming face, it is not as dignified as the bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in Jindai-ji Temple, which is a national treasure. If the statues of Daikokuten and Ebisu remain here for 1,000 years, they may be designated as national treasures.

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