One of the birthplaces of the beckoning cat, where the temple is full of white cats raising their right paws
The closest neighborhoods in the same city.
Next to the Shobyoden (Beckoning Cat Hall) at Gotokuji, the space is packed with maneki-neko cats that people brought back as thank-you offerings after their wishes came true. All of these cats are white, raising their right paw, not holding a gold coin, giving them a very plain look.
The Setagaya Line also has a "Lucky Cat Train," with straps shaped like maneki-neko and cat paw prints printed on the floor. As of October 2026, Tokyu's official website is still posting its operating schedule. There are several theories about where the maneki-neko originated; here's one of them: legend has it that in the Edo period, Ii Naotaka was beckoned through the temple gate by a cat, which saved him from a thunderstorm.
From our street photos, cleanliness ranks 143rd among the 395 neighborhoods in Tokyo, the strongest category in this neighborhood's rankings. At Setagaya Hachiman Shrine, the autumn festival on September 15 each year features a dedicatory sumo performance by the Tokyo University of Agriculture's sumo club.
Gotokuji Station and the Setagaya Line's Yamashita Station are only about 50 meters apart: take the Odakyu Line toward Shinjuku, or the Setagaya Line toward Sangenjaya. Gotokuji Station is served only by Local trains, including those running through to the Chiyoda Line. There's no transfer discount between the two lines.
From our street photos, sidewalks rank 290th among the 395 neighborhoods, the weakest category in this neighborhood. Daily shopping ranks 252nd and healthcare ranks 218th, both in the lower-middle range. In 2020, this neighborhood had about 171 people per hectare.
In 1480, Kira Masatada, the lord of Setagaya Castle, built a small hermitage for his aunt — this was the origin of Gotokuji. The area near the temple is believed to have been the honmaru (main bailey) of Setagaya Castle, and along the approach you can still see the earthen ramparts and dry moat from that time.
In 1633, Ii Naotaka, the lord of Hikone Domain, rebuilt it as the Ii family's family temple, and the temple's name comes from Naotaka's posthumous Buddhist name. The Ii family burial ground at the temple is a National Historic Site, and Ii Naosuke is also buried there.
The three-story pagoda built in 2006 also has cats carved into it. In 2017, the Setagaya Line ran its first maneki-neko-illustrated train, and it went back into service again starting in 2019.
Compared with the 395 Tokyo neighborhoods in this guide (scores 0–10)
Hospitals with inpatient beds (2020 data), public elementary and junior high schools whose catchment covers this area, high schools and universities within 1 km, stations, parks of 1 ha or more, and large shopping malls and department stores. Many Tokyo junior high students attend private schools, so junior high catchments are only a guide.
Maps show the shops and the sights. What a street is like, you only know by walking it. TidyMap uses AI street imagery analysis and public facility data to turn each area's street environment and everyday convenience into something you can compare. Search an address and look at the street outside first.
How to read it: yellow = poor, blue = good; grey = not enough data
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