Ikegami-Honmonji Temple
Ikegami-Honmonji Temple is the home of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism. I’ve only visited it twice. So far, I’ve been very impressed. It has a magnificent main hall and plenty of flowers. Plus, it has a fantastic graveyard. It seems I’ve only scratched the surface. This place is historic and beautiful. So many photographs are waiting to be made there. It is a fabulous Tokyo photo spot.
Ikegami-Honmonji photo highlights
- Main hall – WW2 air raids destroyed the original building. This reconstruction has a stunning altar. On the ceiling is a fading ceiling mural of a dragon.
- Flowers – Plum and cherry blossoms.
- Main gate – Dates from the Genroku era (late 17th to early 18th century).
- Five-story pagoda – A National Important Cultural Property that is the oldest five-story pagoda in the Kanto area. The second Shogun, Hidetada Tokugawa, built it in 1607.
- Tahoto – A red pagoda where Nichiren was cremated. It is the only structure of its type remaining in Japan.
- Main entrance staircase – The main entrance’s staircase has ninety-six stone steps inspired by the Lotus Sutra. It is said Kiyomasa Kato donated it.
- Cemetery – Honmonji’s cemetery is the resting place of many historical people. It also has some plum blossoms.
Three tips for photographers
- The temple should be an excellent spot for cherry blossoms. I haven’t seen them in bloom, but I have seen the trees (pre-season).
- Ikegami-Honmonji seems to get few foreign tourists. That might be a bonus for some people, though.
- Many Japanese go there on weekends to pray. So, if you want to photograph the grounds as people-free as possible, weekdays should be better.
Where is Ikegami-Honmonji Temple?
Address: 1-1-1 Ikegami, Ota City, Tokyo
Here it is on a Google map:
Train access
Use Ikegami Station on the Tokyu-Ikegami Line. The temple is about a ten-minute walk from the station’s East Exit.
Opening hours
The grounds are open 24 hours a day.
Admission costs
None
A brief history of the temple
- Nichiren recuperated there from an illness in 1282 on his way from Minobusan to Hitachi. It was his final journey, as he died on October 13.
- Historical figures such as Kiyomasa Kato and Toshiie Maeda patronized it.
- Takamori Saigo and Kaishu Katsu discussed the surrender of Edo to Imperial Forces there to end the Boshin War.
- WW2 Air raids destroyed many of the historic buildings. The pagoda, main gate, and sutra storehouse survived.
Conclusion
Ikegami-Honmonji excites me, even though I’ve only visited it twice. From my experience, it is a stunning temple. Some of the original architecture is still there, and it is impressive.
And don’t forget the flowers. There aren’t many plum blossoms, but they are there. Cherry blossoms seem to be the focus at Ikegami. When they bloom, the temple should be special. I can’t wait to see them (someday!).
Please consider this guide as a work in progress. Much is there I need to discover. It’ll take time to check this place out, but it is on my list! The photos will be here one day.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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2 Comments
You should go visit the Treasure House, with items from the Kamakura-era. It is only open on Sundays.
Hello Jan and thanks for the tip. Next time I’m there on a Sunday, I’ll have a look.