Happiness Overflows at Gotokuji Temple in Setagaya

Gotokuji Temple offers a variety of flowers to admire from late winter to spring, including plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, and azaleas. In autumn, the temple is adorned with beautiful red leaves and ginkgo trees. Visiting this temple, known for its lucky cat statues, and riding the 'Lucky Cat Train' fills couples with happiness! Located in Setagaya, Tokyo, Gotokuji Temple is one of Tokyo's three major lucky cat shrines (though technically, Gotokuji is known for its lucky cats, not fortune cats). The temple's serene and artistic atmosphere, combined with the tranquil surroundings and the abundance of white lucky cat statues neatly arranged in various sizes, attracts many visitors who come to take photos. In addition to the main hall where the Buddha is enshrined, Gotokuji Temple also has the 'Lucky Cat Hall,' dedicated to Naotaka Ii, the lord of Hikone Domain, and his family. The temple's prosperity began when Naotaka Ii followed a cat to the temple to seek shelter from the rain, making it the birthplace of the lucky cat. On the other side, there is the 'Fortune Cat Dedication Area,' where various fortune cat statues are displayed. Gotokuji Temple offers a variety of 'amulets' for purchase, including lucky cat statues of different sizes, protective charms, temple stamps, three-colored stamp books, and ema (wooden prayer plaques). A special mention goes to the 'Lucky Cat Train' on the Tokyu Setagaya Line, which visitors can ride.