Zenringai

Shrines and temples packed on two streets in Hirosaki

Peter Sidell Oct 25, 2013 - 1 min read

<p>The graveyards are home to a wide, wide variety of statues</p>

<p>There's a large, tranquil forest graveyard</p>

<p>A painting in the ceiling of one of the entrance gates</p>

<p>There are often rows of statues lining the paths</p>

<p>Sometimes the graves are spread out, sometimes packed tightly together</p>

<p>A number of the temples and shrines have elegant pagodas</p>

<p>There are a range of different styles and layouts</p>

<p>Lions guard some of the entrances</p>

Demons stand guard at the entrance to this one

Right at the end of the street you'll find this

The gate to the temple at the end of the street

Not far south of Hirosaki Park is Zenringai, a district with two streets packed with 33 temples and shrines, many of them relocated here from their original locations. With there being so many I didn't even try to tell them apart, but just treated them all as one unified experience, soaking up the atmosphere as I strolled around their various grounds. There's an interesting diversity of architectural styles on display, and a large, atmospheric forest graveyard.

Peter Sidell @peter.sidell

I came to Japan from Manchester, England in 2003, and have travelled a lot since then, around Japan and in Asia. When I'm not working, I write satire and perform stand-up comedy in and around Tokyo. Check YouTube for a taste.