Jindaiji Motomachi (深大寺元町) is a peaceful neighbourhood in western Tōkyō: tranquil, lush with greenery and trickling streams, and rich in local history, it lends itself to those who want to escape the bustling city to enjoy sightseeing, culture, and traditional Japanese goodies. It takes about fifteen minutes by bus from Chōfu Station to reach the area that is famous for one of the oldest temples in the Kantō region, Jindai-ji Temple, the Jindai Botanical Gardens, and soba (蕎麦 or そば), Japanese buckwheat noodles.
Local soba restaurants
During the Edo period, peasants in the area were forced to grow buckwheat because the native soil was unsuited for rice growing. The head priest of Kaneiji Temple (寛永寺) in Ueno (the Tokugawa clan's principal temple, dismantled during the Meiji Restoration) is said to have praised the excellence of the local buckwheat noodles when he visited Jindaiji. Nowadays, traditional soba restaurants line the lanes and paths leading up to the temple, attracting visitors from all over to enjoy the area's culinary speciality.
Kusa-manju (草まんじゅう)
The picture above shows Sanmon Gate (山門), the main entrance to Jindaiji Temple, a Buddhist temple of the Tendai school. Read more on the temple here.
The entrance of a soba restaurant
Kitaro Chaya (Jindaiji Shop, 鬼太郎茶屋 深大寺店)
Kitaro Chaya is a cafe that serves sweets and drinks themed after the characters of Mizuki Shigeru (水木しげる, 1922-2015), the creator of the cartoon GeGeGe no Kitaro. The adjacent shop sells yokai merchandise based on Mizuki's ghost stories. The gallery on the second floor displays his iconic manga works.
Jindaiji Motomachi
Fudo Falls (不動の瀧)
Other attractions:
- Jindaiji Temple
- Jindaiji Daruma Festival: takes place every year on the 3 and 4 March; the daruma doll represents the warrior-monk Ryōgen (良源, 912-985); once a petitioner's wish has been granted the other eye of the daruma is filled with a Sanskrit character, not the usual ink dot.
- Jindaiji Botanical Gardens (神代植物公園 Jindai shokubutsu kōen), with over 100,000 trees, 4,500 varieties of shrubs, and the largest rose garden in Tokyo. Address: 5 Chome-31-10 Jindaiji Motomachi, Chōfu, Tōkyō 182-0017, open 09:30-17:00 (last entry at 16:00), closed on Mondays unless it is a public holiday; admission: 500 JPY (adults).
- Jindaiji Castle
Location: Jindaiji Motomachi, Chōfu, Tōkyō 182-0017
Access:
Access:
- from Chōfu Station North Exit:
- Keiō Bus No. "Cho 34" (調34) from Platform 14 bound for Jindaiji (深大寺行), get off at Jindaiji (深大寺) bus stop (~15 minutes).
- Keiō Bus No. "Kichi 14" (吉14) bound for Kichijōji Station (吉祥寺駅) or "Cho 35" (調35) bound for Kyōrin-daigaku-byōin (杏林大学病院), get off at Jindaiji Shogakkomae (神大小学校前) bus stop (~10 minutes), a 5-min walk to the temple.
- Keiō Bus no. "Kichi 14" (吉14) bound for Kichijōji Station (吉祥寺駅) or a no. "Taka 56" (鷹56) bound for Mitaka Station (三鷹駅), get off at Jindaiji-Iriguchi bus stop, 8-min walk to the temple.
- from Kichijōji Station South Exit:
- Odakyū Bus bound for Jindaiji (深大寺行) or Chōfu-eki Kitaguchi (調布駅北口行), get off at Jindaiji Iriguchi (深大寺入口) bus stop (~30 minutes).
- from Mitaka Station South Exit:
- Odakyū Bus bound for Jindaiji (深大寺行) or Chōfu-eki Kitaguchi (調布駅北口行), get off at Jindaiji Iriguchi (深大寺入口) bus stop (~25 minutes).
