Another frog turned to stone (Photo: Peter Sidell)

Honpo-ji Temple in Ueno

An intimate, peaceful Tokyo temple

Peter Sidell   - 1 min read

Close to Tawaramachi station on the Tokyo metro Ginza line between Ueno and Asakusa, Honpo-ji is an intimate little Buddhist temple with a few points of interest that make it worth dropping by if you're in the area.

There are statues of serene Buddhist deities, squatting frogs and watchful guardian dogs, ancient stone lanterns and miniature side shrines coated with lichens, and a panel telling an unusual bit of history about wartime censorship of comic storytelling.

Peter Sidell

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.