Yushima Seido

Yushima Seido is an impressive Confucian temple established in the 17th century.

The temple, was constructed on the current site in 1690 at the direction of the fifth Tokugawa Shogun. During the 18th century it became an important place of learning.

The hall was burnt to the ground a number of times, although when it was rebuilt in 1799, it survived all the way through until 1923, when it was destroyed again by the Great Kanto Earthquake. The current hall was constructed in 1935 using reinforced concrete.

In the 1970s, it was used in the filming of the Monkey TV series.

Aside from the elaborate rooster decorations on the roof, the building is mostly free of decorations and embellishment. The large size of the hall however, is quite unusual for temples in Tokyo, making for a solemn, contemplative atmosphere.

Just outside the central compound is a statue of Confucius. It’s not huge, but it’s supposedly the largest statue of the great philosopher in the world. Given its diminutive size compared to all the giant Buddhas everywhere you look, statues of Confucius must be a lot rarer.

The temple is located in Ochanomizu Park, just across the Kanda River from Ochanomizu Station.

Even though the address is Yushima, it’s much closer to the aforementioned Ochanomizu Station and Akihabara Station than to Yushima Station.