Welcoming Visitors to a Village Filled with the Feeling of Spring Chofu City – Jindaiji Daruma Fair
Event Period:March 3–4
Venue:Chofu City
What is the Jindaiji Daruma Fair?
Jindaiji Temple in Chofu City is one of the most historic temples in the Kanto region, second in prominence only to Sensoji in Asakusa. Founded in 733 during the Nara period, this Tendai Buddhist temple has a history of more than 1,300 years.
Every year on March 3 and 4, the temple holds the Yakuyoke Ganzan Daishi Grand Festival, and with it the famous Daruma Fair, one of Japan’s three major daruma markets and a beloved sign of spring.
Ryogen, also known as Jikei Daishi, was a renowned high priest of Mount Hiei during the Heian period and is considered the restorer of its prosperity. Because he passed away on the third day of the first month of the old lunar calendar, the memorial festival is held each year on March 3 and 4.
The fair takes place when red and white plum blossoms bloom beautifully beside the temple gate, and it is often called “the daruma market that brings spring to Tokyo.” Around 300 vendors set up stalls in the temple grounds, displaying colorful daruma dolls of many sizes. Visitors gather to pray for good fortune, protection from misfortune, and success in business.
A Unique Tradition at Jindaiji
One distinctive feature of the Jindaiji Daruma Fair is that Buddhist monks draw the daruma’s eyes on the spot.
Instead of simply painting one eye when making a wish, monks write sacred Sanskrit characters (bonji) representing the sounds of A and Un. The character “A” is written in the left eye when the daruma is first purchased, symbolizing the beginning of a wish. When the wish comes true and the daruma is returned to the temple, the character “Un” is written in the right eye before it is dedicated back.
Don’t Miss the Famous Jindaiji Soba
Jindaiji is also well known for its soba noodles. Around the temple are about twenty soba restaurants, some with long histories dating back to around 1860. One shop is even known as a place where the famous writer Seicho Matsumoto worked on his novels.
The origin of Jindaiji’s soba culture is said to come from the tradition of serving handmade soba to visiting guests. Already in the Edo period, the noodles were praised as “extremely delicious,” and they became a favorite among pilgrims visiting the temple.
Just a short walk from Jindaiji is the Jindaiji Watermill Hall, where a watermill hut from the Meiji period has been faithfully reconstructed and preserved. Visitors can see the interior and learn how the water-powered milling system once increased soba production. According to the guides, if everything had been done by hand, soba production here might never have flourished as much as it did.
When visiting Jindaiji, be sure to try the famous Jindaiji soba.
| Event Period | March 3–4 |
|---|---|
| Address | 5-15-1 Jindaiji Motomachi, Chofu City, Tokyo |
| Website | |
| Access | From Chofu Station on the Keio Line, take a Keio Bus bound for Jindaiji, Kyorin University Hospital, Kichijoji Station, or Mitaka Station. Get off at Jindaiji Shogakko bus stop and walk about 5 minutes. Note: Event dates may change depending on the year. Please contact the temple for the exact schedule. |
| Discover more about the Tama region | https://at-tama.tokyo/lang_en/ Photos courtesy of Takako Shigegaki |
