A Tour of Religious Sites

On Monday, we participated in a multi-stop tour of Tokyo. Here is what we saw:

Buddhist Temple in Asakusa

Amid this residential area, stands a five-tiered tower called a "pagoda". This is what identifies this temple and its grounds as Buddhist. Here we watched people wash their hands, stand amid smoke, bow, and draw fortunes, all as a part of their visit to the temple. Our guide explained that the two main religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shintoism. Often, people subscribe to both religions as Buddhism is concerned with life after death, and Shintoism deals with purification and blessing in the present life.

Shinto Shrine in Harajuku

Just as pagodas can be used to identify a Buddhist temple, towering Torii gates can also be used to mark the entrance of Shinto shrines. The shrine we visited in Harajuku was dedicated to one of Japan’s beloved emperors. Within the grounds were a wall of wine barrels donated from vineyards worldwide (wine was a favorite drink of this emperor) and a wall of decorated Sake barrels sent from every major brewery in Japan. Sake is used in many Shinto rituals to achieve purification. We saw the themes of purification, good fortune, and prayer to deities of nature and ancestors (like the emperor) while visiting this shrine.

Hachiko Statue in Shibuya

We stopped in Shibuya to finish off our tour. Our guide told us the story of “Hachi,” a loyal dog who visited Shibuya Station every day in search of his deceased owner. When Hachi passed, the community in Shibuya commemorated the dog’s loyalty by placing his statue near the station's doors. Many of us had heard this story before or seen the movie, but it was so interesting to hear that it took place at Shibuya Station! While this was not a religious site, it is representative of Japanese values, which are tied to their spiritual practices.

We ended the day by fishing for dinner and eating around a traditional Japanese table!