Benten-do

The Bentendo Temple in the Shinobazu Pond is one of the remaining buildings of the Toeizan Kan'eiji temple complex, 10 hectres in area, which has a number of National Important Cultural Properties. The founder of Kan’eiji Temple, the high priest Tenkai (1536?-1643) built an artificial islet called Nakanoshima in the Shinobazu Pond after Chikubu Island of Lake Biwa and erected a Bentendo Temple there. The current building was reconstructed in 1958. Its main object of worship, the Happi (eight-armed) Benzaiten originally comes from Hogonji Temple on Chikubu Island. Shinobazu Pond, a spacious natural pond in Ueno Park with Bentendo Hall surrounded by lotus plants is quite a magnificent vista. During spring, the park, popular with residents and tourists alike, is filled with large number of people who enjoy viewing the cherry blossoms in full bloom. It is an eight-minute walk from the Park Exit of JR ”Ueno” Station.