Toganji

Nagoya's gentle green giant

Peter Sidell Nov 17, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>A line of statues on the way into the grounds</p>

<p>Dueling elephants on the incense burner</p>

<p>He sits in mostly peaceful natural surroundings</p>

<p>Elephants guard the Buddha from his enemies</p>

<p>Two large engraved stupas in the grounds</p>

<p>This chap lives at the rear of the Buddha statue</p>

<p>Watch for the snake when you purify your hands</p>

<p>One battle that nature is slowly winning</p>

<p>Detail from a lantern near the main hall</p>

In a quiet residential area near Motoyama station in central Nagoya, Toganji must be the city's best kept secret. An attractive, tranquil Buddhist temple founded in the 16th century, its main feature is a huge, vivid green seated Buddha statue fully ten meters high, with more statues at its base, life-sized devotees, deer and elephants.

The grounds are equally appealing: there's a bamboo forest, a small pet cemetery, and a lot of Indian features, such as the detail on the lantern near the main hall, and the fighting elephants on the incense burner. Visitors are allowed to enter the main hall, and should absolutely do so to admire the beautiful painted ceiling.

Peter Sidell @peter.sidell

I came to Japan from Manchester, England in 2003, and have travelled a lot since then, around Japan and in Asia. When I'm not working, I write satire and perform stand-up comedy in and around Tokyo. Check YouTube for a taste.