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Zojo-ji, Tokyo

Main hall of Zojo-ji temple with visitors on the forecourt and the red and white Tokyo Tower rising behind it
Photo: Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
free; gallery ¥700
Hours
Grounds by day; treasures gallery weekdays 11:00–15:00, weekends 10:00–16:00, closed Tue
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
40 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Grounds
Free
Treasures gallery
¥700; junior high and high school ¥300; younger free
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Gallery hours
Weekdays 11:00–15:00, weekends 10:00–16:00; closed Tue
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Combo
Gallery + Tokugawa mausoleum — ¥1,000
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Gate
Sangedatsumon, 1622 — Important Cultural Property
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Getting there
Onarimon or Shibakoen (Mita), Daimon (Asakusa, Oedo) — 5 minutes
Coordinates
35.65748, 139.74838YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

1622the year the Sangedatsumon gate was built
Sourcezojoji.or.jp
Only originalbuilding of the temple still standing — this gate
Sourcezojoji.or.jp
Jodothe temple is head of the Pure Land school
Sourcezojoji.or.jp
Tokugawafamily temple of the shoguns; six shoguns rest here
Sourcezojoji.or.jp
Black Buddhathe Amida image revered by Tokugawa Ieyasu
Sourcezojoji.or.jp
1:10scale model of the Taitokuin Mausoleum in the gallery
Sourcezojoji.or.jp
¥700treasures gallery entry
Sourcezojoji.or.jp
Three afflictionspassing the gate cleanses greed, anger and ignorance
Sourcezojoji.or.jp

What is Zojo-ji?

Zojo-ji is the head temple of the Jodo (Pure Land) school of Buddhism in Tokyo, in Shiba Park at the foot of Tokyo Tower. When Tokugawa Ieyasu came to rule eastern Japan he made it his family's temple, and Zojo-ji has been one of the country's principal Buddhist temples ever since. Six Tokugawa shoguns rest in its grounds.

Its oldest structure is the Sangedatsumon gate of 1622, the temple's only surviving original building and one of Tokyo's oldest wooden structures. In the school's teaching, passing through the gate cleanses you of three afflictions — greed, anger and ignorance. The temple keeps the Black Buddha, an Amida image revered by Ieyasu that is said to bring victory and ward off misfortune.

How the temple works

The temple grounds are free to enter. Beyond the gate are a broad forecourt, the Daiden main hall and rows of stone jizo statues — guardians of children and travellers — in red caps with colourful pinwheels. Behind the main hall is the Tokugawa shoguns' mausoleum, which charges entry.

In the basement of the main hall is the treasures gallery, opened in 2015. Its centrepiece is a detailed 1:10 scale model of the Taitokuin Mausoleum of the second shogun, Hidetada. According to the official site, the gallery is open 11:00–15:00 on weekdays and 10:00–16:00 at weekends and on holidays, closed on Tuesdays; entry is ¥700, or ¥1,000 combined with the mausoleum.

What to see

  • The Sangedatsumon gate of 1622.
  • The Daiden main hall against Tokyo Tower.
  • The Black Buddha of Amida.
  • Jizo statues in red caps.
  • The treasures gallery with the mausoleum model.
  • The Tokugawa shoguns' mausoleum.

How to get to Zojo-ji

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on footdestinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

On foot

More tips

  1. Onarimon station (Mita line) — about 5 minutes on foot.
  2. Shibakoen station (Mita line) — about 5 minutes.
  3. Daimon station (Asakusa, Oedo lines) — about 5 minutes, through the Sangedatsumon gate.
  4. Hamamatsucho station (JR) — about 10 minutes.
  5. From Tokyo Tower — a few minutes on foot.

Grounds only or with the gallery

Groundsyou are hereFree20–30 minutesGate, hall, jizo, tower viewBy day
With the treasures gallery¥700 (combo ¥1,000)About an hourPlus the mausoleum model and scrollsNot on Tuesdays

How long do you need?

Allow 30–40 minutes for the temple grounds, about an hour with the treasures gallery. It's easy to stop here before going up Tokyo Tower, a few minutes away.

In the evening, when the tower is lit, come back to the main hall for the best shot, then head up Roppongi Hills to see the tower from above.

Is Zojo-ji worth visiting?

Yes: it's one of Tokyo's most photogenic spots — a shoguns' temple and a broadcast tower in one frame — and the grounds are free.

The YesGo take: most of the temple buildings are modern, and little of old Edo remains apart from the gate. The value is in the atmosphere and the tower view; the treasures gallery is worth it if you're interested in the Tokugawa era.

Before you go: checklist

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Tokyo temples: compare and choose

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Zojo-jiyou are here4240 minFree—
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Minato in half a day

Zojo-ji temple in the afternoon, then Tokyo Tower, and Roppongi Hills in the evening for a view of the tower from above. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Zojo-jiyou are here40 min · free; gallery ¥700
  2. 5 min walk from the previous stopTokyo Tower1 h · Main Deck ¥1,500; Top Deck ¥3,300 online
  3. 26 min walk from the previous stopRoppongi Hills1 h 30 min · ≈ ¥2,200 online / ¥2,400 on site (winter 2026–27)

3 places · about 3 h 41 min with walks · 31 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Tokyo Tower

Tokyo, Japan

1 h · Main Deck ¥1,500; Top Deck ¥3,300 online · 5 min walk

Hamarikyu Gardens

Tokyo, Japan

1 h · ¥300; over-65s ¥150 · 25 min walk

Roppongi Hills

Tokyo, Japan

1 h 30 min · ≈ ¥2,200 online / ¥2,400 on site (winter 2026–27) · 31 min walk

Tsukiji Outer Market

Tokyo, Japan

1 h 30 min · free · 38 min walk

How to do it right

  • Enter through the Sangedatsumon gate.
  • The tower is lit in the evening — the best shot.
  • The gallery is closed on Tuesdays.
  • Speak quietly by the main hall.
  • Nearby: Tokyo Tower.

Questions

How much does Zojo-ji cost?

The grounds are free; the treasures gallery is ¥700, or ¥1,000 combined with the mausoleum.

What are the treasures gallery hours?

Weekdays 11:00–15:00, weekends and holidays 10:00–16:00; closed on Tuesdays.

How old is the gate?

The Sangedatsumon gate was built in 1622.

Who is buried at the temple?

Six Tokugawa shoguns — it was their family temple.

What is the Black Buddha?

An Amida image revered by Tokugawa Ieyasu, said to bring victory and ward off misfortune.

Where's the best view of Tokyo Tower?

From the forecourt before the main hall, especially in the evening.

How do I get there?

About 5 minutes on foot from Onarimon, Shibakoen or Daimon stations.

How long do you need?

30–40 minutes, about an hour with the gallery.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Zojo-ji official site (zojoji.or.jp/en) — school, 1622 gate, Black Buddha, mausoleum, treasures gallery hours and prices (checked 09.11.2026)
  • English Wikipedia: Zōjō-ji — general information
  • Travel guides — jizo statues, walking times, the tower angle (unofficial)
  • Wikidata Q249139 — coordinates
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 09.11.2026 ·
How we checkedThe school, the Tokugawa connection, the Sangedatsumon gate, the Black Buddha, the mausoleum, and the treasures gallery's hours and prices are from the temple's official site. We couldn't find the separate mausoleum fee, so we give only the combo ticket. We don't cover 20th-century damage to the temple. The temple doesn't list grounds hours, so we say 'by day'. The jizo statues and walking times are from guides.

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