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This is why I wanted to return to Shibamata: to visit Shibamata Taishakuten Temple, one of the most beautiful in Tokyo. It is included in the official list of the 100 Landscapes of Japan, established in 2009, which also includes Mount Fuji, Himeji Castle, and the Gion district of Kyoto, to name a few. This temple is not immediately impressive from the outside, but once you enter its interior garden and wooden galleries, what a beauty… I didn't expect this in Tokyo, but yes, it almost feels like a temple in Kyoto.
The visit begins with a walk along the incredible carved wooden panels, depicting scenes from the life of Buddha and several Bodhisattvas. These panels are unfortunately forbidden to photography. Then, the tour continues with one of the most beautiful small gardens I have ever seen. Peaceful, small but harmonious and ideally staged, a perfect example of Japanese garden culture at its best.
And guess what? Absolutely no foreign tourists around; we were almost alone, with only another couple of Japanese visitors (in the paid part of the visit). I don't claim to have seen everything yet, far from that, but after three visits to Tokyo, I don't think I'm wrong in saying that the Shibamata Taishakuten is an absolute must-see.