The Cemetery Housing Thousands of LED Buddhas

The Koukokuji temple sits at the foot of an ancient ginkgo biloba. Its external architecture resembles that of a traditional Buddhist funeral building, with large wooden doors and a curved roof. The space has a unique characteristic, however: anyone with a loved one laid to rest in the temple can light up the corresponding statue themselves using a smart card directly connected to the Buddha in question. The card is given to the family of the deceased when the ashes are placed inside the building. The ashes are stored there for 33 years, before being buried underneath the structure. Visitors will find neither incense sticks nor commemorative plaques; only a few flowers can be laid there.

This Buddhist temple is found in an impressive garden that houses a number of plant species, including 300-year-old ginkgos that survived the Kanto earthquake in 1923 and the air raids of 1945. There is also a small cemetery surrounded by ancient trees, each with an individual plaque at the base of their trunk providing information about their age.

The doors to the columbarium are normally open, but those without a card to light up the buddhas will need to ask the temple guardian for assistance. The latter will then launch a 15-minute light show during which the multitude of statues change colour, creating a variety of dazzling motifs that come to life inside the building.