Unrinji (“Cat Temple”)

Unrinji has been a Rinzai Zen temple for over 400 years, but since the 1990s it has become equally known as Neko-dera, the Cat Temple. The shift started with a legend: a retainer's cat bit out its own tongue in grief upon its owner's death. The story stuck and the temple gradually accumulated cat-themed art, sculptor donations, amulets, and living cats on the grounds. Current head monk Sumida Jisei uses feline stories to explain Buddhist principles and performs memorial services for deceased pets. Anime and manga artists have contributed original cat-themed illustrations, and local chainsaw artist Takao Hayashi created many of the sculptures filling the temple grounds.