In Yanaka, near Nippori Station, is a temple called Daikokuten Kyooji Temple.
While not a huge temple, the temple does date back from the Edo Period and inside, there is a statue of Daitokuten, one of the Seven Lucky Gods (shichifukujin). The statue is said to have been carved by Nichiren (1222-1282) himself (a tale that is really not possible).
Daitokuten is considered to be the God of Earth, Agriculture, Rice, Farmers, the Kitchen, & Wealth and is one of the Seven Gods of Fortune. Evolved from the Indian deity, Shiva, Daikoku images and statue can be found not just in Japan but also in Tibet and China and some people have statues of this overweight yet very happy God with his belly sticking out.
When you go in, you will see the small Nicheren temple straight ahead, to the right is a prayer section and to the left is a cemetery.
The main gate for Daikokuten Kyooji Temple is interesting because it contains bullet holes from the Battle of Ueno of 1868 during the Boshin War (when the supporters of the Tokugawa Shogunate were driven out of Edo by imperial troops).
Overall, it’s a small temple but a place that you will probably want to check out if you are leaving Yanaka to Nippori Station.
