Senso-ji Temple, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple, is the oldest temple in Tokyo. There is a pair of huge traditional straw sandals called “O-Waraji,” being hung on the back of the main entrance gate of the temple.

O-Waraji had been constructed by 800 citizens of Murayama City only in a month. Matsuoka dedicated the first Owaraji to the Senso-ji Temple as a prayer for winning in war battle and as a commemoration for the damages in snow crisis which killed lots of people in Murayama. During World War II, the temple was bombed and destroyed. But, it was rebuilt later so it has become a symbol of rebirth and peace to the Japanese people.

O-Waraji is made of straw and it weighs 2500 kilograms and it is 4.5 meters high. The sandals symbolize the power of the nio guardians which means deities who guard the temple. Therefore, the Japanese people believe that those sandals are the charms against evils. People usually touch this “O-waraji,” hoping that they would gain powerful walking skills and become goodwalkers i.e. being able to walk long distances without getting tired.

Yes, whether the myth or not, it was pretty true for me because I walked a lot on that day more than as usual, but I was not really tired despite of the long distance I walked. It was a new value for me because I could see the importance of straw sandals in Japanese ancient times as well as today’s people’s beliefs on those sandals for their health and safety of the city.