I swear, the more I travel outside of Tokyo and Kyoto, the more convinced I am that those places are just overhyped. Case in point, I visited the Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple in winter and was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable the whole trip was. Yes, it’s a tourist trap but I found myself enjoying it so much that I thought it probably wasn’t bad to get trapped there.
Naritasan Shinsho-Ji Temple: Experiencing Its Serene Grandeur During Winter
So I visited in winter (just this January) and it was absolutely cold. I was actually expecting it to snow but unfortunately the sun was out the whole day of my visit.
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Thanks to the agreeable, albeit cold, weather, I expected a good number of people to come out that day. With the sun out, that meant I had great natural lighting for taking this particular picture of the Somon-Mae Main Gate.
So apparently winter is still a busy time for the temple especially if it snows. While it is regret that I couldn’t witness the temple’s serene winter grandeur when I visited, it still has a lot to offer its visitors.
I was looking for the daruma dolls and came across these stalls that really piqued my interest.
I don’t get awe-struck easily but for some reason, the Niomon Gate looked really impressive the day of my visit. That big red paper lantern just seemed to impose a striking presence in the distance and more so when I got closer. Reading up on the history of this lantern, it seemed like it was given by the Tsukiji businessmen as an offering to the temple some time in the 1960s.
So this place is called the Chozuya and it performs a specific function for worshippers who visit the temple. Basically, it’s where worshippers purify their souls by washing and cleaning their hands and mouth. There’s also an interesting process they follow for washing that I could never quite memorize.
Finally found the daruma! While the temple has daily burning ceremonies (the Goma Fire Ritual), daruma burning or daruma kuyo only happens during the winter Setsubun-e festival. These dolls are actually for sale and worshippers can buy them to make a wish and then have the temple burn them.
I searched for information on this lantern and apparently the letters on it say “uogashi” which translates to fish market. This totally makes sense when you consider the lantern was gifted by businessmen from the Tsukiji fish market.
Isn’t this such a lovely scene? I could totally imagine this being covered in snow and looking even more serene.
I think a visit to Naritasan Shinsho-ji isn’t complete without dropping by the Nio Pond. I’ve seen pictures with turtles on the turtle island in the middle of the pond but unfortunately there weren’t any when I visited. Since the water was clear on this day though, you can actually see the accumulation of coins worshippers and visitors have thrown in the pond.
I won’t lie, this was one of the coolest buildings in Naritasan. Found in the Great Main Hall, this building is called the Three-Story Pagoda and it has been around since 1712! The building features beautiful reliefs of 16 Arhats. Also called Juroku Rakanzu, these people were considered as the Buddha’s most well-known disciples.
The Great Main Hall area has a number of buildings that I think are also worth checking out.
With visitors slowly trickling in, it was hard to get the best angles for photos of the Great Main Hall. On less busy days, you could take a picture of the Kokaku shed with the Daihondo casting an imposing silhouette behind it without people in your shot.
Similar to the Chozuya, the Kokaku has a purifying function. It is said that people who want their ailments cured would need to get close to the burner and apply the incense smoke to the afflicted parts of their body.
Here are some worshippers doing just that! Also, there’s a box to the side where worshippers and visitors can drop coins/money as offerings.
If you want to get an amulet for luck then this is where you’re going to have to go.
As you can see, people line up here all the time and its quite close to the Daihondo so it’s very hard to miss.
Finally got a decent shot of the Great Main Hall’s entrance!
Named after the father of Buddhism in Japan, Prince Shotoku Hall was surprisingly one of the chillest locations in Narita Shinsho-ji when I visited.
I’ve always wondered what these were so I asked around and was told that they were called Ema. The front of this actually has a picture of foxes while the back is where worshippers write down their name and their wishes. Worshippers then hang these here or in areas like Gakudo Hall.
Basically a donation request for the shrine’s 109th Anniversary Festival Commemorative Project. I wasn’t aware of this until now but apparently the Japanese government doesn’t directly fund shrines like this. As such, donations are very much needed especially since the maintenance of these shrines probably aren’t cheap.
Another way for shrines like Naritasan Shinsho-ji to make money other than through donations is by selling omamori or amulets (and the Ema I talked about earlier).
Without worshippers’ and visitors’ donations, we probably won’t see and experience the beauty of this garden.
Here we have the various kinds of omamori or amulets that you’ll be able to buy here. Prices range from as low as JPY500 to as much as JPY3000.
One of the most iconic halls in Narita-san Shinshoji is Shakado Hall. It served as the main hall before the Great Main Hall’s construction and was actually constructed in 1858. It’s said that this where worshippers pray if they want to have ‘something’ exorcised. Scary! Hopefully the reason why you’re here is because you just want to take pictures.
The steps going up to the Heiwa no Daito Pagoda and to its side you’ll find one of the public toilets/washrooms in the shrine.
I have to admit, Gakudo Hall looked really scary. Maybe it’s the sculptures on the columns or that it looks like the oldest building there. That said, the way it seems to elevate above the ground also gives it a cool factor that you just won’t find with other buildings in the area.
Like Shakado Hall, Gakudo Hall is designated as an Important Cultural Property. It might look old but Shakado Hall is actually older by a couple of years. Definitely worth checking out!
Another hall worth visiting when in Naritasan Shinsho-ji is Kaizando Hall. According to the signage, this is where Kancho Daisojo, the guy who founded the shrine in 940 AD, is supposed to be enshrined.
If you happen to be praying for marriage then you definitely need to visit and pray at Komyodo Hall. This actually predates both Shakado and Gakudo Halls and served as the main hall for some time.
If you’re tired of looking at the shrines you can opt to re-energize by taking a walk around the Naritasan Park. To get here, you’ll need to go to the Daihondo area. This particular entrance can be found to your right as your facing the Great Main Hall.
Yeah it’s not as big and expansive as Central Park is but seeing this map of Naritasan Shinsho-ji made me realize something: the place is still huge! At the very least, you’re getting a work out if you do end up visiting all its attractions!
The profile/side view of Komyodo Hall. I swear, it looks better in person.
Here’s a sculpture of Kobo Daishi. He went by the name Kukai but was called Kobo Daishi after his death. Kancho Daisojo was one of his disciples and he is known for his significant contributions to Shingon Buddhism’s rise in Japan.
I finally got to Shinsho-ji temple and I must say it’s without a doubt the most impressive building in the temple complex by far.
I mean just look at it! It absolutely dwarfs most buildings there that I’ve seen (other than the Daihondo).
I honestly feel a certain sense of awe just looking up at the pagoda. In terms of design, I think it’s the most complex. Definitely worthy of a visit.
Look at the detail and the craftsmanship on those rafters! And if you look closely at the sorin or spire on the pagoda, it looks like it’s flowering! I mean, you might not believe in a God/higher being and still be able to appreciate the beauty of this structure.
A worm’s eye view of the pagoda. The uniformity of those trusses is truly impressive especially when you consider this probably is one of those structures that don’t use any nails (I think they’re called sashimono though I could be wrong).
I finally got to the temple’s saisen-bako and gave my offerings and wishes. What did I wish for you ask? Well, that’s for me to know… for now at least. How about you? What would you be wishing for when you do get to visit Naritasan Shinsho-ji temple?
