Manpuku-ji 満福寺

Ancient temple invites you to ring the bell

Chiba City has cycling paths along the Tone and Edo Rivers, and the Tone Unga Canal. The three waterways mark the "Noda Triangle", the boundaries of the city, and have lovely views. A spot worth dropping by near the Hananoi Bridge crossing of the Edo River is Manpuku-ji. The Shingon Buddhist temple is said to have been founded in 1582. For perspective, that's the year Oda Nobunaga met his end. The temple has some time-worn monuments, including an image of Fudomyo at the gate. But what draws me back, and why I recommend stopping here, is the bell. A lot of temples tie back their bells and only allow ringing at the New Year. Here, visitors are invited to recite the mantra posted on the signboard and ring the ancient bell. It's got a lovely tone that carries over the traffic noise from the bridge.