Jorenji Temple, located in Itabashi City, Tokyo, is home to Tokyo’s Daibutsu, also known as the Tokyo Giant Buddha Statue. The Buddha statue at Joren-ji Temple is the 3rd-largest bronze Buddha statue in Japan, following the Daibutsu at Todai-ji Temple in Nara and the Kamakura Daibutsu at Kotoku-in Temple. The Tokyo Daibutsu stands at 13m tall, and weighs approximately 32 tons. 

The Buddha was enshrined here at Jorenji temple in 1977 to commemorate those who lost their lives in World War II, and also the Great Kanto Earthquake. The grounds of the temple offer a tranquil place to relax amid the concrete jungle that is Tokyo. 

While the Buddha statue is relatively new, Joren-ji temple itself dates back around 500 years. When you arrive at the temple, you are greeted by a large gate at the top of a short, yet steep, staircase. Inside the gate, you can see four statues that are said to be the guardians of the temple, and the nearby Akatsuka castle, which unfortunately does not exist anymore.

In the neighborhood, you also have the ruins of Akatsuka Castle, the Itabashi Art Museum, and Akatsuka Park, but aside from that, there really is not a whole lot to do in the area, but it is a little hidden gem that very few people know about.