A number of sandals were hung at the Nio-mon Gate of Enyu-ji Temple, built in the Muromachi period

Straw sandals hung on wall in Buddhist temple — Sandals hanging from the Nio-mon Gate

There is an old temple called Enyu-ji Temple in Himonya. The destination of this day's walk was the temple, which stands in the middle of a residential area. As I strolled toward the temple and stepped into its precincts, I immediately noticed the temple's centerpiece, the Shakado Hall, which is said to have been built in the early Muromachi period (1336-1573). The Shakado Hall is the second oldest wooden structure in Tokyo and, as the name implies, houses a statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha. However, the door was firmly closed, so I could not see what was going on inside. I moved to Nio-mon gate to see the whole of the small Shakado Hall. The Nio-mon gate is also old, though not as old as the Shakado, and was built in the Muromachi period.

As I passed through the gate, I saw a number of sandals hanging on the wall. These were dedicated to the temple as a prayer for good health. Nowadays, no one wears sandals in everyday life. Even so, people still dedicate traditional sandals when praying to temples in this way. Otherwise, God may not be able to identify what has been dedicated. If you dedicate modern shoes, God may have no idea what you are praying for.

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