Zojo-ji

Temple

Prefecture

Tokyo

Type

Temple

N/A

0 reviews

Train Access Cafe

About This Destination

The Tokugawa family temple in Shiba, with Tokyo Tower rising right behind the main hall. The grounds are free; the walled mausoleum of six shoguns costs 500 yen and closes on Tuesdays.

Zojo-ji sits directly beneath Tokyo Tower, and the photo everyone takes is the main hall's sloping roof with the red-and-white tower behind it. This was the Tokugawa family temple in Edo, and six shoguns lie in the walled mausoleum behind the main hall: Hidetada, Ienobu, Ietsugu, Ieshige, Ieyoshi and Iemochi. Entry is 500 yen, from 11:00 to 15:00 on weekdays and 10:00 to 16:00 on weekends and holidays, and it is shut on Tuesdays. The treasure gallery in the basement of the main hall keeps the same hours, costs 700 yen and shows the temple's history alongside a rotating set of its Five Hundred Arhats scrolls; a 1,000 yen ticket covers both. The grounds themselves are free. Walking in from Daimon you pass the Sangedatsumon, the vermilion main gate rebuilt in 1622 and a National Important Cultural Property, though conservation work on it is scheduled to run until June 2032. Near the Ankoku-den hall, rows of small stone Sentai Jizo, placed since 1975 to pray for children, wear red knitted caps and hold pinwheels that rattle in the wind. The great bell, cast in 1673 after seven attempts, is still rung morning and evening.

Location

Prefecture: Tokyo

Address: Tokyo, Japan

Nearest Station: Onarimon Station

Closed: The grounds have no listed closing day. The Tokugawa mausoleum and the treasure gallery close on Tuesdays, but open when a Tuesday is a national holiday. The mausoleum is also closed from October 27 to December 1, 2026 while its ticket booth is rebuilt, and the gallery closes December 22 to 31, 2026 to change its exhibits.

Hours note: Tokugawa mausoleum and treasure gallery: 11:00 to 15:00 on weekdays, 10:00 to 16:00 on weekends and national holidays. Last entry to the mausoleum is 14:45 on weekdays and 15:45 on weekends and holidays. The official site gives no gate hours for the grounds.

Best time to visit: Late March to early April for cherry blossoms around the grounds; any time of year otherwise

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to visit Zojo-ji?

The grounds are free. The Tokugawa mausoleum is 500 yen for adults and free for high school students and younger; the treasure gallery is 700 yen for adults and 300 yen for junior and senior high school students. A combined ticket for both is 1,000 yen.

Which station is closest to Zojo-ji?

Onarimon and Shibakoen on the Toei Mita Line, both about 3 minutes on foot. Daimon Station is about 5 minutes away, and JR Hamamatsucho about 10 minutes.