Kovind visits Buddhist temple in Tokyo, plants sapling of Bodhi tree from India

President Ram Nath Kovind visited Tsukiji Hongwanji located in the Tsukiji district of Tokyo and also planted a sapling of the Bodhi tree from India. Kovind arrived in Tokyo on October 21 after concluding his five-day state visit to the Philippines to attend the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito scheduled to be held on October 22.

Tokyo (Japan): Upon his arrival in Japan on late Monday on the second leg of the East Asia visit, President Ram Nath Kovind visited Tsukiji Hongwanji, a Buddhist temple located in the Tsukiji district of Tokyo, and also planted a sapling of the Bodhi tree from India.

"President Kovind paid respects at Tsukjii Hongwan Ji -Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple in Tokyo and planted a sapling of bodhi tree from India. The temple architecture is an amalgam of cultures from East Asia, Europe, and the Middle East," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

"President Kovind paid his respects at Meiji Shrine at Tokyo that is dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji. Meiji restoration in 1868 was a watershed moment in Japanese history in which Japan was completely transformed into a modern country," Kumar added.

Kovind arrived in Tokyo on October 21 after concluding his five-day state visit to the Philippines to attend the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito scheduled to be held on October 22.

The President's visit to Tokyo is the first presidential visit to Japan from India after a gap of 19 years.

"President Kovind arrived in Tokyo, Japan earlier today. He will be attending the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito tomorrow," the Rashtrapati Bhawan tweeted.

He also visited the Shinto Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. The shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken.

Emperor Naruhito will formally declare his ascension as Japan's 126th monarch in front of about 2,000 leaders and representatives from over 170 countries and regions at the Imperial Palace on Tuesday.

The Emperor ascended the chrysanthemum throne on May 1 following the abdication of his father, Emperor Emeritus Akihito, who was the first to be enthroned as the symbol of "the state and of the unity of the people" under the postwar Constitution.

Kovind will take one of the superfast trains to visit the Kakegawa city on the forenoon of October 23.

Prior to this, the President visited the Philippines to address the plenary meetings of Indo-Philippine business conclave and fourth ASEAN India business summit.