Jindaiji is an ancient Tendai temple in Chofu, Tokyo. Despite being relatively close to the city center, it has a quiet and calm atmosphere surrounded by rich nature. Known for its benefits in warding off evil and finding love, many worshippers visit the temple. The historic buildings, including the main hall, give a sense of traditional Japanese beauty, and the scenery changes with the seasons.

Jindaiji soba is synonymous with this area. There are many soba restaurants in the area, where you can enjoy freshly made, flavorful soba. There are also many souvenir shops and sweet shops along the approach to the temple, so stopping by during your walk is also a fun thing to do. Soba dango and soba manju are especially popular.

Another big attraction of Jindaiji is the Kitaro Teahouse, which is associated with Shigeru Mizuki. There is a park dotted with yokai objects and a shop selling yokai goods, making it a unique spot that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. The unique combination of history, food, and monsters makes Jindaiji a special tourist destination.

The Jindai Botanical Garden, located on the adjacent premises, is a vast botanical garden adjacent to Jindaiji. It has various areas, such as a greenhouse where you can enjoy flowers of all seasons, a rose garden, and a camellia garden, and is recommended for those who want to spend a relaxing time in nature. It is especially crowded with many visitors during the rose season, but even in other seasons, you can spend a quiet time strolling through the spacious garden or reading on a bench.

There is a bus from Chofu Station. It is about a 30-minute walk, so it is not too far to walk.

Also, Chofu Airport is located quite close by.

[Trivia]
Chofu City is also the second hometown of Shigeru Mizuki, the manga artist of Gegege no Kitaro, and was also the filming location for the NHK morning drama series "Gegege no Nyobo."

[Hidden gem]
Jindaiji Natural Hot Spring Yumori no Sato is a day-trip hot spring facility located close to Jindaiji Temple. It's the perfect place to soothe your tired body after a walk around Jindaiji Temple, and you can relax and forget the hustle and bustle of the city. There are open-air baths and a variety of baths, and there is also a restaurant, so you can spend the whole day relaxing.