At the beginning of the Edo Period, Senso-ji was already famous in Edo, but its fame and power grew after the first Tokugawa shogun declared it tutelary temple of the Tokugawa clan. Later, in 1648, the third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, erected a new Main Hall, a new pagoda and a new Hozomon Gate, all of them larger and more impressive than the previous.

All of them were destroyed during the 1945 bombings, but 13 years later they were rebuilt with donations raised from all over the country. Several years ago, the spectacular Senso-ji Main Hall, was renovated and it is now a lot more disaster-safe, featuring a titanium roof which is 5 times lighter than the traditional Japanese kawara-tiled roof.

Main Hall, Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa, Tokyo

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Hanami, the flower viewing tradition