The Shibararei Jizo – bound Jizo -- of Tozen-Ji
This Jizo is all tied up with no place to go.
The Shibararei Jizo – bound Jizo – stands in a small Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Tokyo near the ancient road from Edo (old Tokyo) to Mito. Shibararei means ‘to tie up’.
This statue, tied with thin strips of straw rope, has been on the list of ‘lucky objects’ for centuries. You can find it on the ‘Power Spot’ map of Edo displayed at the Edo Museum. The map is called Gan Kakei Choho Ki – the ‘important wish list’ – and listed temples and shrines around Edo based on their lucky abilities and also for health.
Visitors to Narihira-san Tozen-Ji Buddhist temple make a small offering, take one of the ropes and tie it around the statue while making their wish. Should their wish be granted in the future, they are asked to come back and untie one of the ropes (any rope will do) and put it in the special container by the statue.
If you’re interested on how the statue came to be, read the story here on Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tōsen-ji
The statue actually used to be in a temple much closer to downtown and was moved to Katsushika in modern times.
Access: The nearest station is JR Kanamachi North Exit or the Kanamachi Station for the Keisei Line (they are different stations). From there you should really take a taxi.
The Shibararei Jizo – bound Jizo – stands in a small Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Tokyo near the ancient road from Edo (old Tokyo) to Mito. Shibararei means ‘to tie up’.
This statue, tied with thin strips of straw rope, has been on the list of ‘lucky objects’ for centuries. You can find it on the ‘Power Spot’ map of Edo displayed at the Edo Museum. The map is called Gan Kakei Choho Ki – the ‘important wish list’ – and listed temples and shrines around Edo based on their lucky abilities and also for health.
Visitors to Narihira-san Tozen-Ji Buddhist temple make a small offering, take one of the ropes and tie it around the statue while making their wish. Should their wish be granted in the future, they are asked to come back and untie one of the ropes (any rope will do) and put it in the special container by the statue.
If you’re interested on how the statue came to be, read the story here on Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tōsen-ji
The statue actually used to be in a temple much closer to downtown and was moved to Katsushika in modern times.
Access: The nearest station is JR Kanamachi North Exit or the Kanamachi Station for the Keisei Line (they are different stations). From there you should really take a taxi.
Narihira-san Tozen-Ji is a beautifully kept temple, clean and quiet.
