Founded in 595 AD, Matsuchiyama Shōden (Honryū-in) is dedicated to Kangiten, an enigmatic elephant-headed deity associated with prosperity, love, and good fortune. The temple is famous for its unique custom of offering daikon radishes at the altar to cleanse bad karma, with radish motifs playfully integrated into the lanterns, railings, and carvings across the grounds. Visitors can ascend the hillside via a miniature automated slope-car monorail, buy a fresh radish on-site for prayer, and even take home yesterday's blessed produce for dinner. It provides a peaceful, delightful, and distinctly offbeat cultural escape just minutes away from Asakusa's bustling center.
- Buddhist Temples
- Shrines & Temples
- History & Culture
- Quirky & Unusual
- Esoteric Buddhism
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