Due to its size, Tokyo is home to many temples and shrines. Although the former capital, Kyoto, is better known for its magnificent temples and shrines, Tokyo also has significant temples and shrines, such as Senso-ji in the Asakusa district, which is also the oldest temple in Tokyo. If you’re wondering how to differentiate a temple from a shrine:

• A shrine, called Jinja (神社), is rooted in the Shinto religion (unique to Japan). A shrine is recognizable by an archway called a Tori (鳥居). Often red in color, the Tori separates the divine world from the real world, which is why the Japanese bow when entering and exiting through the Tori to access the shrine.
• A temple, called o-tera (お寺), belongs to the Buddhist religion, which arrived in Japan in the 6th century. A temple is recognizable by a gate called Mon (門), which can sometimes be quite large. In Japanese, the difference is also reflected in the name. Temples are identified by the suffix “-ji,” which has the same Japanese character as tera (寺). Most temples have cemeteries at the back, and sometimes you will also find large towers called pagodas. Historically, during the transition to the Meiji era, the influence of Buddhism was greatly reduced to promote Shintoism as the only official religion.

Although the two religions are different, they are nonetheless very complementary for the Japanese. Shintoism is more focused on life events such as births, coming-of-age (20 years old), and weddings. In contrast, Buddhism is more focused on mourning, as temples are places where the Japanese rest after death.