The walls of Reiun-ji Temple were very well built

About 400 years have passed since the Edo Shogunate was established. Tokyo, which has long been the center of politics, has its share of historical temples, though not as many as Kyoto or Nara. However, there are few temples in Tokyo that I personally find interesting when I look at the rows of buildings that line the grounds of the temple. I find the shrines and temples in Kyoto and Nara more fascinating.

The reason I find them less interesting is mainly because the buildings are not that old. It does not have to be over 1,000 years old like Horyu-ji Temple, but since the Edo Shogunate was founded over 400 years ago, it would be neat to see buildings that were built 200 or 300 years ago. In reality, however, there are not many buildings that are that old. Even though shrines and temples themselves were built long ago, there are not many historic structures left.

The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 is said to be the main reason for the lack of surviving structures, as many of the temples that were damaged in the earthquake have since been rebuilt using modern concrete construction methods. For example, the Kanda Myojin shrine pavilions were also rebuilt using concrete after the Great Kanto Earthquake. The Kanda Myojin Shrine survived the air raids of World War II and still stands today, so it makes sense to build a sturdy structure using modern construction methods. I understand that, but I may just be a nuisance because I think it looks lighter and less interesting.

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