Gokokuji, east of Ikebukuro Station, is a beautiful wooden Buddhist temple founded in 1681 by the fifth shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi in honor of his mother. It managed to survive the air raids of WWII, and its main hall (Honden) was deemed an “Important Cultural Property”. Despite that classification, Gokokuji Temple really doesn’t get many visitors,  so we’ve given it “off-the-beaten-path” status.

Besides the main temple, the grounds hold a large cemetery with stone pathways, a Buddha statue, and a small pagoda. It makes for a perfectly peaceful spot for an afternoon stroll.

Festivals: Every year, the temple celebrates Hana Matsuri (Flower Festival) on April 6 to commemorate Buddha’s birthday. The temple is also popular during cherry blossom season as it has many varieties of cherry trees.

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Access: The temple is a 20-min walk east from Ikebukuro Station or a 2-min walk from Gokokuji Station via the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line.

Nearby places and attractions

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護国寺
Otsuka
5-40-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo, Tokyo 112-0012
Map
03-3941-0764
Official site
  • 354 m from Gokokuji Station Yurakucho Line (Y11)
  • 0.6 km from Shinōtsuka Station Marunouchi Line (M24)
  • 0.6 km from Higashi-ikebukuro Station Yurakucho Line (Y10)

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