Endoji Temple in Nagoya City

13/10/2025

When visiting temples or shrines in Japan, please remember that these are sacred places. Any behavior that shows disrespect — such as touching sacred objects, entering restricted areas, or making noise — can be seen as both culturally offensive and legally punishable under Japanese law (Article 188 of the Penal Code).

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Origine of name of Endoji shopping street

Endonji Temple, a Nichiren Buddhist temple, is located along the Endoji Shopping Street and is the origin of the street’s name. Established in 1654, it boasts a long and rich history. The temple was relocated to its current location in the 1700s. During the air raids in 1945, everything except the main gate (sanmon) was destroyed by fire.

The building has been renovated, but some remnants of the Edo period still remain. The stone lantern in front of the gate is inscribed with “Bunka 10(文化10年),” which corresponds to the year 1813.

For some reason, there’s a Shinto shrine within the temple grounds. This is something you’ll commonly see across Japan. In Nagoya, for example, there’s a shrine next to the gate of Kenchuji Temple. This reflects the concept of Shinbutsu-shugo(神仏習合), the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism.

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I’ve compiled a list of Nagoya’s places that I’ve personally visited. Is Nagoya boring? Not at all! While it has developed as an industrial city, it also hides interesting places full of history and culture. Use this guide to explore Nagoya and discover its hidden gems.