Gotokuji Temple Photography Guide: Tokyo’s Cat Temple
Gotokuji Temple is tucked away in the quiet streets of Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward. Thousands of beckoning cats, the adorable talismans that bring luck, call it home. Photographers and feline lovers will find an unforgettable blend of culture and history. Picture-perfect moments abound. Are you ready to discover this kitty haven?
The Maneki Neko legend: A brief history of Gotokuji
Once, another temple, Kotokuin, stood on the site. It was a protector temple of Edo when the daimyo of Hikone province, Naotaka Ii, had a residence in Setagaya. Upon his death, the name changed to Gotokuji.
The legend of the cats? One story says that while Naotaka was falconing, a sudden and violent storm fell upon him. A cat (neko) appeared from a nearby house and seemed to beckon (maneku) to him to enter the grounds, which he did. That is how the term Maneki Neko came into being.
What to expect: Thousands of Beckoning Cats
In Japanese, these beckoning cats are called Maneki Neko, and you’ll see these iconic talismans of good fortune everywhere in Japan, from restaurants to shops. Sometimes, they have one paw raised. Other times, both. The felines bring luck, customers, and money.
Finding them in Setagaya’s backstreets takes a little effort, but it’s worth it. Gotokuji Temple is beautiful and even has a pagoda. There are many trees to provide shade. It is a lovely place with a historic cemetery.
Your first visit might surprise you. The area for the cats is small. They are in an L-shaped area around one of the temple halls (but not the main one). The statues are on the ground, on other statues, on shelves, and in window frames! Maneki Neko are everywhere.
They are different sizes; some are large, and others are tiny. But they are all adorable, and they number around 2000! Their cuteness might make you want to take one home.
You can buy them at the temple’s administration building. They come in different sizes and cost between 300 and 5000 yen. The cheaper ones are tiny, only a couple of centimeters tall. But the 5000 yen ones are large.
The cats might even help you fulfill your dreams, too! Buy one and write your wish on its back. Leave it with the others. Many people do that. Let us know if something happens!
While Gotokuji is located in the suburbs, its fame means it’s often crowded with tourists. Be prepared for a bustling atmosphere in a relatively small space, which can make getting that perfect, unobstructed photo of the cats a fun challenge.
Are you interested in cemeteries? Gotokuji is a temple, so it has one. It’s not as big as Aoyama or Zoshigaya, but it is historical, and some of the tombstones are incredible.
Temple photo highlights
- The grave of Naosuke Ii. He was a daimyo and occupied the office of Tairo (Great Elder) of the Tokugawa government. Jizaemon Arimura assassinated him at the Imperial Palace‘s Sakuradamon (Sakurada gate).
- Maneki Neko (the cats are perfect for Instagram)
- Omikuji (this is one of the few places I’ve seen them tied to real trees, not only on racks)
- Three-storey pagoda
- Maneki-Neko themed drink vending machine
- Temple buildings and Buddhist imagery.
Photography tips
- Use a wide-angle lens and point it down over the cats. See how many you can get in one photo.
- Move to one end of a bench and focus on the cat closest to you; the rest should fall into bokeh.
- The courtyard in front of the temple is limited in space; you might also need a wide-angle lens for that.
- With many trees, benches, and roofs, there are many shadows combined with bright spots around the cats to deal with.
Best time to visit for photos
Spring has cherry blossoms and autumn has the leaves. Choose either of those and you won’t go wrong.
Nearby photo spots
- Carrot Tower (a business tower with an excellent observation floor)
- King Kong in Sangejaya (on top of a convenience store)
- Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine
Visitor information: Location, access, costs, & hours
- Address: 2-24-7 Gotokuji, Setagaya City, Tokyo
- Closest train stations: Gotokuji Station on the Odakyu Line and Miyanosaka Station on the Tokyo Setagaya Line (closest to the temple)
- Opening hours: 6 am to 5 pm (temple grounds)
- 8 am to 3 pm (temple office)
- Admission costs: None
- For the most up-to-date information, consult the official Gotokuji (Japanese) website.
- Here is the temple on Google Maps:
Is Gotokuji Temple worth visiting in 2026?
I like Gotokuji Temple. The architecture of the main hall is beautiful, and the cats are something different. It also has a piece of Tokyo history with the Ii family graves.
If you like this type of temple, I recommend two others. One of them is Toyokawa Inari Betsuin with a strong fox theme! The other is Imado Shrine, which also claims to be the home to the Maneki Neko!
Have you photographed or do you own a beckoning cat? Share your experience in the comments. If you want to see more of Tokyo’s temples, check out Tennoji with its big Buddha.
