Kannon and the cats
ⓒRebecca Bugge, All Rights Reserved
Do not use without permission.
The Bodhisattva Kannon surrounded by manekineko (the Japanese beckoning cat - a lucky charm to invite good luck, most common to either your home or your business).
At the Buddhist temple Gōtokuji.
For most tourists this temple is quite a bit off compared to other famous sites in Tokyo - but it is still quite popular. After all they maintain the story of being the place that invented the beckoning cat - said to be inspired by a story of a monk's cat which saved the daimyo Ii Naotaka from being hit by lightning by beckoning him into the temple. And now you can find tons upon tons of them by a little side-temple on the grounds.
But this temple is worth a visit for more than that (and I am saying this as a great cat lover). It is the largest historical site in Tokyo (according to the sign at the entrance - and I have no reason to doubt it). A temple has stood here since 1480, and Gōtokuji dates to 1655, with many of its existing buildings actually dating from the 17th century. The grounds are extensive and includes a cemetery for the Ii-family with traditional tombs.
Kannon and the cats
ⓒRebecca Bugge, All Rights Reserved
Do not use without permission.
The Bodhisattva Kannon surrounded by manekineko (the Japanese beckoning cat - a lucky charm to invite good luck, most common to either your home or your business).
At the Buddhist temple Gōtokuji.
For most tourists this temple is quite a bit off compared to other famous sites in Tokyo - but it is still quite popular. After all they maintain the story of being the place that invented the beckoning cat - said to be inspired by a story of a monk's cat which saved the daimyo Ii Naotaka from being hit by lightning by beckoning him into the temple. And now you can find tons upon tons of them by a little side-temple on the grounds.
But this temple is worth a visit for more than that (and I am saying this as a great cat lover). It is the largest historical site in Tokyo (according to the sign at the entrance - and I have no reason to doubt it). A temple has stood here since 1480, and Gōtokuji dates to 1655, with many of its existing buildings actually dating from the 17th century. The grounds are extensive and includes a cemetery for the Ii-family with traditional tombs.