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pagoda

Naritasan Shinshoji Temple

On my last full day in Japan, I checked out early from my apartment in Tokyo and headed to a hotel next to the airport in Narita (Chiba prefecture). I then spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around Narita. The main highlight of the city is Naritasan Shinshoji Temple: It is a large buddhist temple dedicated to Fudo Myo. Besides the temple buildings, Naritasan is famous for its Gion festival, held every summer, its massive Great Pagoda of Peace and a large garden.

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Abandoned "Tokyo Peace Pagoda" at Mount Odera

A Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa. It is designed to inspire peace and to help unite people of all races and creeds in their search for world peace. Most peace pagodas built since World War II have been built under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii, a Buddhist monk from Japan and founder of the Nipponzan-Myohoji Buddhist Order. Fujii was greatly inspired by his meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1931 and decided to devote his life to promoting non-violence. In 1947, he began constructing Peace Pagodas as shrines to World peace.

The Tokyo Peace Pagoda was inaugurated in August 1974 at the summit of Mount Odera (大寺山; 960m) near Lake Okutama. Not sure why or when it was abandoned. I had a first glimpse of the pagoda when I went to Mount Gozen a few weeks ago and I had no idea what it was: It seemed like a large structure (actually 45m in height and 55m of diameter) but there was no mention of it on maps or tourism pamphlets. So I went to see for myself after I got down from Mount Mito. The trail starts between Mito Bridge and Miyama Bridge on Lake Okutama. It takes about 50min to the summit. After getting back to Lake Okutama, I crossed the Miyama Bridge and waited for the bus back to Okutama JR station.

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