Gokoku-ji

Gokoku-ji was established by the wish of Keishoin, the real mother of the 5th shogun of the Edo shogunate named Tsunayoshi Tokugawa in 1681. The main hall was resumed in the Genroku period with the best available knowledge and crafts at the time, which are shown in its delicate sculptures depicting lions, tapirs, and elephants hanging on a pillar (kake-hana). It is a precious building that is preserved as it was at the time of its construction despite it having survived several crises such as fires, earthquakes, and war damages. The principal image, Nyoirin Kanzeon Bosatsu, is exhibited on the 18th of each month. Many buildings on the temple ground, as well as the main hall, have been designated as international and domestic Important Cultural Properties. There is a graveyard in the precinct, and it is well-known for having graves of many historical figures such as Shigenobu Okuma and Aritomo Yamagata (both were politicians). It has great access with a one-minute walk from the exit 1 of the Gokoku-ji Station on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line.