Visiting Seven Deities of Good Luck walking tour in Ikegami Ohta Ward is available to tourist who is awaiting transfer in Haneda Airport. This tour will take about five hours from Haneda Airport or three and a half hours from Kamata Station.
This tour is walking and visiting seven temples that enshrine different kind of guardian gods. Most of Japanese enjoy this kind of tour without religious meaning but just entertainment. Although temples are all Buddhism in this tour, some other 'Visiting Seven Deities of Good Luck' include Shinto Shrine. Buddhism was imported to Japan from India passing through China and Korean Peninsula in the 6th century. Japan became centralized state and legal code state in the early 7th century. The government at that time used Buddhism to control Japanese society. The constitution was based on Buddhism. This thought lasted until middle of the 19th century.
The place where we are visiting is called Ikegami. The most important temple in this area is Ikegami-honmon-ji temple. The temple is one of the 7 most important temples of the Nichiren sect. Nichiren is a sect of Buddhism.
Each seven deities has each different divine favors. Why don't you enjoy walking and getting seven luck. And complete a shikishi (a square of heavy decorated paper for writing poem, motto and others) by yourself.
Colorful banner flags
These flags indicate Seven Deities of Good Luck
Sozen-ji Temple. Hotei-son : Deity of wealth
We can get a shikishi (a square of heavy decorated paper for writing poem, motto and others) for visiting seven deities. A shikishi is 500 yen.
Dry landscape Japanese garden
a sumo stable
A former sumo wrestler Baruto from the Republic of Estonia belonged this stable. He won the champion ship in January 2012. I was in the Ryogoku Kokugikan(sumo gymnasium) at that time.
Bimyo-an Temple. Bisha-monten : Deity of war
Bato-kan-non-do Hall. Daikoku-ten : Deity of good harvest
Honjo-in Temple. Fuku-roku-ju : Deity of happiness to be blessed with real children, asset and longevity
Gonjo-in Temple. Benzai-ten : Deity of entertainment
Hongyo-ji Temple
This is the place where Saint Nichiren passed away in 1282.
A pagoda (a national important cultural property)
Saint Nichiren's ash in there.
The main hall of Ikegami-honmon-ji Temple
A five story pagoda (a national important cultural property)
One of sub-temples
There are beautiful pine tree and plum blossoms.
Myoken-do Temple. Ju-rojin: Deity of longevity
a tomb in Edo era
This is the place where a grand daughter of Ieyasu TOKUGAWA was buried.
an ancient burial mound
It's from 6th century.
Japanese citrus called 'Yuzu'
Yogen-ji Temple. Yebisu: Deity of fishery
Approach way to Ikegami-honmon-ji Temple
Shikishi
You stamp your shikishi by yourself. And when you finished your visiting, your shikishi would be completed. It will be good memento for yourself.