Zojo-ji Temple

Located beside Tokyo Tower, Zojo-ji Temple is the main temple of the Jodo sect of Japanese Buddhism in the region. Founded in 1393 and relocated to its current site in 1598, Zojo-ji served as the primary temple of the Tokugawa family and as a training and meditation facility for Jodo monks. The temple as it exists today was built in 1974.
Visitors to Zojo-ji are greeted by Sangedatsumon (Main Gate), a majestic wooden gate towering 69 feet (21 meters) above the ground. Built in 1622, the gate is one of the temple’s few remaining structures from the Edo Period. Another of the temple’s notable relics is Daibonshi (Big Bell), a giant bell made in 1673 that measures nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter and weighs 15 tons. Also of note are the collection of bodhisattva Jizo statues and a Himalayan cedar tree planted by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1879.

Practical Info

The easiest way to reach Zojo-ji Temple is to take the Oedo Line to Daimon Station and leave through Exit A3.