Ikegami Honmonji Temple located in Ikegami, Ota-ku, Tokyo is a Daihonzan (major head temple) of the Nichiren sect. In 1282, Priest Nichiren, who has suffered from a disease, dropped in at Ikegami Munenaka’s residence in the village of Senzoku (present-day Ikegami) in Musashi province on his way from his home temple in Minobu to a spa in Hitachi province (present-day Ibaraki Pref.). He stayed here for 20 days and passed away. Ikegami Munenka dedicated his premises to Nichiren’s temple, where one of Nichiren’s disciples, Nichiro, established Honmonji Temple.
The five-story pagoda, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property, was constructed in 1607 and survived the air raids in the World War II. It still gives a magnificent impression from season to season. Shoto-en Garden in the north of the precinct is a historic site, where Saigo Takamori and Katsu Kaishu had a conference on the surrender of Edo Castle.