Gotoku-ji is certainly an instagram attraction. The shrine compound itself is beautiful and would be worth the one hour train ride regardless, but the reason why many people come is because of the Maneki-Neko (welcome cats)
You may have seen the happy welcome cats in many different types of Asian restaurants and stores. Although many people think it originated in China, the history as told from the Japanese perspective is that it originated in Japan.
For more information, here is a link:https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/gotokuji-temple-tokyo
When people come to visit this shrine to pay their respects and pray, they might buy a cat, and then leave it at the shrine as an offering. Once a year, the offerings are cleared out and it starts again. There are different shrines that represent different entities, for example I went to a Daruma shrine when I lived here before. there is one near Osaka, but there is one in Gunma Ken which I visited with my friend Liz who lived on that area. For more info on that temple – here is a quick link: https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-1602. The cats were definitely adorable, and it was cool seeing so many in one spot – all different sizes. Very instagrammable!
I did NOT do that – it just looked like an interesting photo
I really enjoyed my time there – it was very quiet and serene even with the visitors. I also enjoyed taking the train out of the city a bit to experience some towns without the towering sky scrapers, and taking the local two car tram.
I also saw an ad in the station for a kaiten sushi restaurant so I stopped for a quick snack. The conveyor belt wasn’t ready as it was a slow time but you could order directly- Yum!
When I consulted google maps for my trip home, I had to change trains in Shibuya, so I HAD to get out and see how things had changed in 24 years – it has gotten even busier. I will put that in a separate post!