Today we are going to visit the famous Gotokuji Temple, located in the western suburbs of Tokyo, and more specifically in the Setagaya district. This Buddhist temple is dedicated to cats, very numerous in the Japanese archipelago, and is a great stopover in the bustling Tokyo.
Cats have their day in Japan on February 22 and are the symbol of fortune and prosperity in the land of the rising sun. You’ll find them all over Tokyo and the country, patiently waiting for a piece of fish outside an izakaya, or on the doorstep of a house, taking a nap.
Setagaya Ward is very easily accessible by metro from central Tokyo. It will only take you about 15 minutes to reach Gotokuji Station, on the Odakyu Line, from Shinjuku or Shibuya Ward. Setagaya is a residential area, but it is good to stroll there on a nice spring or autumn day, enjoying the local life and the calm that reigns there.