Fukagawa Fudodo

A Tokyo branch of a famous temple southeast of the capital, this hall in the old downtown district is devoted to a fierce guardian deity of fire and is known for its dramatic goma fire rituals, in which drums thunder and flames leap as prayers are burned. The striking modern main hall is wrapped in a lattice inscribed with mantras that light up at night. Around it lie the atmospheric lanes of a district that preserves the flavor of old Edo, with monuments, small shops, and a lively market street close by.