Numerous lanterns were hung in a corner of the narrow precincts of Tokudai-ji

Lanterns in Tokudai-ji — Lanterns at Tokudai-ji Temple

There is an area near Okachimachi station that is densely populated with candy stores and discount stores. Personally, I believe that this area has retained the atmosphere of the black market that existed during the chaos after World War II.

Climbing up the stairs that suddenly appeared in the middle of such a dense area of stores, I found myself in a different world from the ground. I found myself in the precincts of a Buddhist temple called Tokudai-ji Temple. This temple was founded in the early Edo period (1603-1868) and is a Nichiren Shoshu temple that enshrines the statue of Great Marici, the guardian deity of Buddhism.

The precincts of Tokudai-ji Temple, whose precincts are built on the second floor of the building, are small, but interestingly different from the atmosphere of Ameyoko, which is crowded with many people. Even if only for a little while, the sanctuary, which is located up from the ground, does not allow the dirt that wanders on the surface of the earth to enter.

The main hall of Tokudai-ji Temple used to be built on the ground, just like other Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, but when the temple was rebuilt in 1964, the floor was raised and the main hall was built on the second floor. In the space underneath the precincts, there are several stores doing business. The lanterns in the photo are displayed in the precincts, but there are also candy wholesalers and grocery stores operating right underneath the lanterns. The precincts of Tokudai-ji Temple are a bit unusual.

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