Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Tokyo
Just wanted to share a few pics from a quick walk I took around Tokyo…plus one of the best meals I’ve ever had!
THE ZOJOJI TEMPLE
The original Zojoji Temple was built in 1393 in the Kanto region and was moved to its current site in 1598. It was the family temple of the Tokugawa family, the shogunate that ruled Japan during the Edo Period.
The Zojoji temple and other structures on its grounds were burnt during World War II, therefore most of what stands today are reconstructions.
At present, Zojoji is the main temple of Jodo shu and the central nembutsu seminary, as it originally was in 1393.
GATE OF DAITOKUIN
The Gate of Daitoku-in Mausoleum is one of the structures on the Zojoji grounds. It was built by the third shogun of the Tokugawa Dynasty in honor of his father.
THE IMPERIAL PALACE
Originally, in the location of the Imperial Palace was Edo Castle, which was the seat of the Tokugawa shogun. When the shogunate was overthrown, the Imperial Residence was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo and built in 1888. It was also destroyed in World War II and then rebuilt. At present, it is the residence of Japan’s imperial family.
IMAHAN
On another evening, we had dinner at Imahan, a restaurant specializing in Sukiyaki. Little did I know that it would be one of my favorite meals ever!
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