Beneath this serene facade lies a hidden chapter of Tokyo’s cultural heritage. This is the story of \u52dd\u5149\u9662\u522b\u9662.
\u52dd\u5149\u9662\u522b\u9662 is a Buddhist temple in Tokyo’s Setagaya district. It is designated as a tangible cultural property of Setagaya Ward. The temple is located at 1-26-35 Sakura, Setagaya-ku. Note that the temple is not open to the public.
This building dates back to the Edo period. The writing room you see before you was built in 1823.岡庭政右衛門, a carpenter from 横根村, built it. 横根村 is near today’s 大蔵1丁目. The hall stands behind the main hall.
This building is built in the style of a寄棟造り茅葺 building. It features an 8.1-meter frontage and a 7.2-meter depth. Inside are four rooms. On the south side is a two-間 wide front seat敷. On the north side is a back seat敷 and a storage seat敷. The interior has a unique 書院造り style. The upper seat敷 has a flat desk and a built-in desk.
\u52dd\u5149\u9662\u522b\u9662 represents a unique piece of Tokyo’s cultural puzzle. It connects us to the Edo period. Though not open to the public it is still a sight to behold. Its architecture tells a story of craftsmanship. Its history whispers tales of a bygone era. The temple embodies the heart of Japanese spiritual tradition.