玉川大師

Beneath the bustling city of Tokyo, a hidden pilgrimage awaits. Tamagawa Daishi, also known as Hosenzan Gyokushinin, offers a unique spiritual journey. This temple of the Chizan sect of Shingon Buddhism holds a secret beneath its peaceful gardens. Descend into the Underground Buddhist Pilgrimage Vajradhara Hall, a 100-meter tunnel symbolizing Buddha’s intestines. Its winding path leads you through darkness, enhancing the eventual illumination. Leave your shoes, cameras, and phones behind. A small donation of 100 yen grants you plastic slippers and passage into the dimly lit space. Feel your way along the cool walls, the darkness amplifying your other senses. The tunnel opens into a chamber bathed in the soft glow of candles. Here, 300 small Buddha statues, each with a unique expression, greet you. Tamagawa Daishi offers an abbreviated pilgrimage experience. 88 of these statues mirror the 88 temples of the Shikoku pilgrimage route. Another 33 represent the temples of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Complete your chosen pilgrimage in minutes rather than weeks. At the tunnel’s end, a bell awaits. Its chime marks your symbolic journey’s completion. The founder of the Chizan sect, Kukai, later known as Kobo Daishi, inspires the temple’s name. Tamagawa Daishi’s underground tunnel, completed in 1934, is a marvel of engineering. Built of reinforced concrete, it’s a testament to human ingenuity and spiritual devotion. Emerge from the tunnel, blinking in the renewed sunlight, carrying the echoes of the pilgrimage within you.