Benzaiten Review

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Benzaiten

  • Address: Taito-ku, Tokyo
  • Phone: 03/3828-9502 for boathouse

Fodor's Review:

Perched in the middle of Shinobazu Pond, this shrine is dedicated to the goddess Benten, one of the Seven Gods of Good Luck that evolved from a combination of Indian, Chinese, and Japanese mythology. As matron goddess of the arts, she is depicted holding a lutelike musical instrument called a biwa. The shrine, which was built by Abbot Tenkai, was destroyed in the bombings of 1945; the present version, with its distinctive octagonal roof, is a faithful copy. You can rent rowboats and pedal boats at a nearby boathouse.

  • Cost: Rowboats ¥600 for 1 hr, pedal boats ¥600 for 30 min, swan boats ¥700 for 30 min
  • Open: Boathouse daily 10-5:30
  • Subway: JR Ueno Station (Koen-guchi/Park Exit); Keisei private rail line, Keisei-Ueno Station (Ikenohata Exit)
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