Kanzanji Temple

Perched on a steep bluff overlooking the Tama River. The temple was founded by calligrapher Taguchi Beiho (1861–1930), on land donated by Ozawa Taihei, the president of the Ome Railway Company. Taguchi studied calligraphy in the 1880s at the historic Hanshan Temple and monastery in Suzhou, China. He was given a wooden figure of the Shakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha) to bring back to Japan. The figure is enshrined at Kanzanji Temple, which was completed in 1930. The ceiling of the temple has been decorated with works by accomplished artists. Each of the 36 painted panels set into the ceiling is unique, with subjects including flowers, animals, and landscapes.