With its abundance of flashing neon lights, arcades and attractions like the giant Godzilla statue towering over Toho Cinema, Shinjuku can feel miles away from the more traditional aspects of Japan. There are a few sacred spots, however, like this Buddhist temple on the edge of Nichome, that provide opportunities for peaceful reflection and a chance to delve into the history of Shinjuku.
This isn’t just any old temple, mind you. The statue of the deity enshrined here, known as Datsue-ba, is said to have been worshipped as a god of commerce in brothels during the late Edo-period. According to scholars, this is because Datsue-ba was responsible for removing the clothes of the deceased (effectively stripping them) to weigh their sins before they were allowed to enter the after-life.