Temples in Tokyo

Though not uncommon in western Japan, this Buddha cut out of an ancient sarcophagus is the only example in central Tokyo.

This surreal thumbs-up monument commemorates a shiatsu legend.

Here lies Hattori Hanzō, a samurai who is remembered as a legendary ninja in today’s popular culture.

An eclectic temple with Chinese architecture, Korean lion-dogs, an Indian god and a legendary 700-year-old tree.

The only natural gorge in metropolitan Tokyo, with lots of greenery and ancient burial chambers.

Home to a legend of the supernatural raccoon dog, a rare wooden structure of Edo, and witnesses of the Tokyo bombings.

This lesser-visited gallery in a corner of the Tokyo National Museum complex is an architectural beauty dedicated to the ancient treasures of Hōryū-ji.

The origin of this bizarre, ghostly idol is a local mystery, even to the temple it calls home.

A hidden gallery exhibits intricate, decades-old Buddhist reliefs.

Although damaged beyond recognition, this stone god is still said to bring good luck to those who tap on him with a pebble.

Daikon radishes are offered to the Japanese Buddhist counterpart of the Hindu god Ganesha at this historic hilltop temple.

An enormous pair of straw sandals woven in the traditional way—to keep demons at bay.

A Buddhist temple on an artificial island that houses a monument to the fugu fish.

Only the face remains of this giant Buddha statue, which is said to be a source of luck for students.

This shrine dedicated to a legendary swordsman has become a pilgrimage site for the ill and infirmed.

Inside the columbarium, thousands of colorful, high-tech Buddhas guard the ashes of the dead.