Historical sites

This residence is a national important cultural property that is located on the same grounds as the Setagaya Local History Museum. Two structures, the main building and front gate, both with thatched and hip roofs, are designated important cultural properties because they maintain the appearance of a typical upper-class house of the medieval to early modern times. On weekends in mid to late July, events for viewing fringed orchids (Setagaya City’s official flower) and heike-botaru fireflies are held in the garden. Visitors can enjoy strolling through the garden while wrapped in the fairytale-like lights of heike-botaru fireflies.

Address: 1-29-18 Setagaya, Setagaya-ku
Entrance fee: Free
Access: Five-minute walk from Kamimachi Station Closed on Mondays and national holidays
*The residence is scheduled to be closed until the end of November 2019 for repairs.
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (entry is permitted until 4:30 p.m.)

It is said that this temple was established by Kira Masatada, the lord of Setagaya Castle, in 1480. The manekineko (beckoning cat) is celebrated here as a lucky charm. This comes from a legend that says that Ii Naotaka, the second daimyo of Hikone, escaped a thunderstorm when a cat at Gotoku-ji beckoned him into the temple with its paw. In the southwest section of the temple’s grounds is the grave of the Ii family. It is designated a national historic site together with the Ii family grave at Seiryo-ji Temple in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture.

Address: 2-14-1 Gotokuji, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Access: One-minute walk from Miyanosaka Station