A stone monument dedicated to the Koshin faith, a syncretic religious practice combining Taoist, Buddhist, and Shinto elements centered on the worship of Koshin, the Blue-Faced Vajra.
This roadside shrine houses a kōshin-tō (庚申塔), a stone monument dedicated to the Taoist-Buddhist deity Shōmen-Kongō, who protects against misfortune and evil spirits. Historically associated with the kōshin-machi folk practice, where communities would gather for overnight vigils every 60 days to prevent the "three worms" from reporting their sins to heaven. Visitors today pray for protection from accidents, illnesses, and spiritual harm, particularly those traveling along busy roads where these protective towers were traditionally placed.
- Religion
- shinto
- Coordinates
- 35.3224664, 139.5607843
Visitor tip
These modest stone monuments are often found along old roads and in village centers throughout Japan.
Cultural notes
Koshin towers are folk religious monuments that reflect the blending of Chinese Taoist beliefs with Japanese Buddhism and Shintoism. They were erected as part of Koshin-machi vigil practices where communities would gather on Koshin nights to prevent the three worms believed to reside in the human body from reporting misdeeds to heaven.