Gazing at the ginkgo tree, do you feel its silent wisdom? We are standing before Zenpuku-ji, also known as Azabu-san. It is a Jodo Shinshu temple in Tokyo’s Azabu district. It is one of Tokyo’s oldest temples after Asakusa.
Zenpuku-ji was founded by Kukai in 824. Legend says it was initially a Shingon temple. Shinran visited during the Kamakura period. He converted it to the Jodo Shinshu sect.
In 1859, the United States established its first Tokyo legation here. This happened under Consul-General Townsend Harris.
Notice the monument to Townsend Harris. It commemorates the First American Legation in Tokyo. Look at the ancient ginkgo tree near the cemetery entrance. Shinran supposedly planted it 750 years ago. It is called the “upside down tree”. Today it is Tokyo’s largest ginkgo and a registered National Natural Monument.
Consider the well near the shrine entrance. Legend says Kukai struck it with his staff. During the Great Kanto earthquake and the Great Tokyo Air Raid, it served the community.
Henry Heusken was attacked by ronin in 1861. He was brought back to Zenpuku-ji, where he died. Masuda Takashi, the founder of Mitsui, served as an interpreter here at 14.
Fukuzawa Yukichi, the founder of Keio University, is interred here.
Zenpuku-ji deepened Japanese-American friendship. Eminent figures like Yukichi Fukuzawa and Masuda Takashi visited often. They helped build modern Japan. The Ginkgo Tree at Zenpuku-ji is a protected natural monument. It is over 750 years old. The temple gates open at 7 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.
Zenpuku-ji stands as a testament to history and faith. It bridges cultures and eras in the heart of Tokyo.