Postcards from Bunkyo, Tokyo

It’s quite unlikely to hear of someone going to Tokyo for a Catholic Pilgrimage but that’s how we felt as we trudged the uphill route from the train station to St. Mary’s Cathedral located in Bunkyo. We were rewarded with an awe inspiring modern structure designed by Kenzo Tange, who also designed the Tokyo Met building in Shinjuku, at the end of our hike. We liked the interiors even more. No photos were allowed but we spent almost an hour enveloped by the surprisingly warmth of the concrete walls and staring with wonder at the natural spotlight to the altar. Outside there’s a replica of the Lourdes cave and across the compound is a rather lovely garden shop, adding to the list of more quiet spots to enjoy.