Exploring Japanese Landmarks in Nishiki-e and Photographs

Ekoin Temple

Constructed as a memorial for the victims of the Great Fire of Meireki (1657). Those who died in prison, were executed and victims of the Ansei Great Earthquakes were also interred thereafter. It also became a place for the exhibition of Buddhist images from temples all over the country. The sumo events held within the temple ground to raise money for the temple from 1781 and were continued until the Ryogoku Kokugikan was built in 1909. were the origin of today's sumo wrestling.