The area around Kaminarimon, the centerpiece of Tokyo sightseeing, is always crowded

Walking along Kaminarimon Street, I eventually arrived in front of the Kaminarimon Gate. A large lantern hangs from the gate. The overwhelming presence of the lantern, which reads “Kaminarimon” and weighs as much as 300 kilograms, is said to have been donated by Konosuke Matsushita, a well-known Japanese businessman. The name of the donor, Konosuke Matsushita, was inscribed on the lantern. It was unexpected that Matsushita, who has a strong impression of being from the Kansai region, would leave his name on a Buddhist temple in Tokyo. However, the thought occurred to me that there may be something in the act of donation that transcends region and time.

The Kaminarimon Gate attracts many tourists from Japan and abroad. It is no exaggeration to say that it is the most famous gate in Tokyo. On this particular day, people were constantly gathering around the gate, taking pictures of each other. I suddenly felt the urge to take a picture of the empty gate. However, I soon realized that this would not be possible. In this place, people and the gate are one and the same. To see them separately would be to deny the gate itself.

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