Zojoji

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Zojoji is a Buddhist temple, head of the Jodo sect in the Kanto Region. The temple dates back to the 14th century, though it was moved to its present location at the end of the 16th century. The temple was badly damaged during the WWII and therefore most of the buildings are reconstructions, nevertheless stunning. The temple is surrounded by a forest and in spite of the heavy traffic going on around it, the place has this serene atmosphere that invites the visitors to meditation and contemplation - the cats leisurely napping on the temple's grounds are proof of it. Behind the Main Hall there is a cemetery and six Tokugawa shoguns are buried here. But for me, the most unique feature of this temple remains the Unborn Children Garden. Rows of beautiful stone statues represent the unborn babies, be them miscarried, aborted or stillborn. These statues decorated by the parents with baby clothes and windmills are like little angels that supposedly help the children with the transition to the afterlife. It is an equally sad and charming sight.



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