Zoshigaya Kishimojin Temple

Zoshigaya Kishimojin Temple

雑司ヶ谷鬼子母神堂

● Address :　3-15-20 Zoshigaya, Toshima, Tokyo, 171-0032
〒171-003 東京都豊島区雑司ヶ谷3-15-20
● Transportation : Zôshigaya (雑司ヶ谷 - Tokyo metro Fukutoshin line)　(+7min walk)
Kishibojin-Mae (鬼子母神前 - Tokyo Sakura tram) (+6min walk)
● Web : kishimojin.jp
● Entry fees : free

● Event : bon-odori (dancing matsuri) around July 20th (depending the years)
● Goshuin : Ok
● Stamp : Ok ... but honestly it's so old that it didn't print any image (on 2017.08.11)

☆ The temple construction starts in 1578 to enshrine a Kishimojin (鬼子母神). Kishimojin (or Hariti) is a goddess who protect birth and children but also punish bad parents and direspectful children. The statue of the goddess was unearthed in 1561 in old Seido (now Mejirodai). In 1625 began the constructioin of the main building and in 1646 a small cabinet was given to the temple to house the statue.

The temple is typical from Gongen style, with 3 alined buildings : an oratory (拝殿 haiden) then a paved room (相の間 ai no ma) and a sanctuary (本殿 honden). The temple was very famous amongst population but also some Shogun came to visit the temple.

Nearby the Buddhist temple there is also a Inari shrine with its gates and foxes (狐 kitsune) and in the middle of the little gates a very tall and old Ginko Biloba. He is 700 years old, 33meters tall and the trunk circomferences is 6,63m. It is believed that the tree can make miracle and it had been called many names : Kosazuke Konsouju (the Ginko that gives children) Kosodate Icyou (The Ginko that raises children)

★ If you arrive from the south or east you might first think the temple isn't that big until you discover the 3 buildings hidden behind each others. As many temples we regret that the surroundings are only soil, with such a space I often think it would be nice to have gardens.
Nevertheless, on a positiv aspect, in the temple there is also a little shop selling candies for kids and another little house where you could sit to eat some dango (mochi balls with red bean paste) and a tea (540yen if I got it right)
Also, the animal of Ikkebukuro is the Owl (梟 - fukurou) so you will find some statue or souvenir representing it here and there.
★ 6,5/10