Tsukiji Hongwan-ji Temple

The stone exterior of Tsukiji Hongwan-ji features carved lotus flowers and rounded arches, a departure from the traditional wooden architecture of Japanese temples. Architect Chuta Ito designed this structure in nineteen thirty-four after the original building burned during the Great Kanto Earthquake. He drew inspiration from ancient Indian stone architecture to create a fireproof sanctuary. Inside the main hall, a pipe organ sits beneath the high ceiling, waiting for the memorial services that often fill this space with music.