Gokokuji was founded in 1681 by Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the fifth shogun of the Edo period. Gokokuji is considered one of the most important cultural sites in Tokyo because of its luck in the last few centuries that have kept all of the structures intact through the sands of time. Gokokuji has survived the civil wars of the late 19th century, the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the fire bombings of WWII, and most recently the Tohoku Earthquake of 2011. The fact that it has remained intact this long means that the temple which stands today is one of the few surviving true Edo period structures still standing.

For the casual: 7. For the educated: 7.

There are several factors which weigh into the importance of Gokokuji, but the fact that it is one of the few true Edo period structures still standing is the big focus. This is a complex which has survived through some of the most devastating events in Japan's history. Apart from its longevity, there are some very significant people laid to rest on the temple grounds like Sanjo Sanetomo (one of the first Prime Ministers) and Josiah Condor, a British architect who was brought to Japan to design modern buildings during the Meiji period and was a painting student of Kawanabe Kyosai, a renowned Japanese painter. One of my personal favorites buried there is Okuma Shigenobu who was the 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan and the founder of Waseda University in 1882. Apart from the historical significance of Gokokuji, the complex is very beautiful with multiple gardens, great pine trees, and a view of the surrounding landscape from its hilltop location. Also, it's important to note that it is very easy to get to Gokokuji because the train station by the same name is at the base of the stairway to the temple.