Naritasan Daishoji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in the heart of Inuyama, a branch of the famous Naritasan Shinshoji temple in Chiba Prefecture. The temple compound is large and atmospheric, with a main hall, pagoda, and beautifully tended gardens. It draws local worshippers throughout the year and sees larger crowds during the New Year period (Hatsumode) and during cherry blossom season, when the grounds fill with blossoms.
The temple offers a dose of everyday religious life that the castle and historical sites nearby don't — you are as likely to encounter a local grandmother lighting incense as a tourist taking photographs. The main hall has fine carved wooden details, and the garden at the rear of the complex is quiet even when the rest of Inuyama is busy. The temple is a short walk from the castle town.