The headquarters of Jodo Buddhism, Japan's largest Buddhist school, Chion-in is a temple built on a scale that takes your breath away. Massive wooden buildings surround spacious courtyards that buzz with the energy of genuine pilgrimage rather than tourism. The main gate, one of the largest in Japan, sets the tone for everything that follows. Inside, the temple's enormous bell — requiring 17 monks to ring it on New Year's Eve — can be heard across the city. This is where faith is practiced at full volume, and the grandeur is meant to be felt in the chest, not just the eyes.