A Breathtaking Sight of Red Daruma Filling the Entire Temple Grounds Hino City – Takahata Fudoson Kongoji Daruma Market
Event Period:January 28
Venue:Hino City
Across Japan, daruma markets are held from the New Year through Setsubun in February. At Takahata Fudoson Kongoji in Hino City, the temple grounds are completely covered with daruma on January 28. This day marks the 「Hatsu Fudo Grand Festival」, a celebration held to pray for safety and good health throughout the year. A 「Chigo Procession」 is also held, in which children dressed in brilliant ceremonial costumes parade through the streets.
What Is the Takahata Fudoson Daruma Market?
At the Takahata Fudoson Daruma Market, nearly one hundred daruma vendors set up stalls each year. The undulating temple grounds become so densely filled with red daruma that it feels as though nothing else is visible. The scene is truly spectacular and well worth seeing. Many visitors return to the same vendor every year, greeting familiar faces with joy after a year’s absence and bringing home their next daruma.
From early morning, vendors prepare their stalls. Most sell 「Tama Daruma」, characterized by bright red bodies, white faces, and bold whiskers, though banners for 「Takasaki Daruma」 can also be seen, revealing that some sellers travel from afar. In recent years, daruma have expanded beyond traditional red to include gold, silver, yellow-green, and other colorful variations, as well as designs shaped like characters or animals. Simply browsing the stalls is an enjoyable experience.
As the event takes place in January, many visitors come as part of their first shrine visit of the year, and the grounds become extremely crowded. Even so, weaving through the rows of daruma—each waiting to receive countless wishes—is a unique pleasure of this market. Although introduced in another article, this daruma market is also held again on February 3 for Setsubun.
A Temple Worth Visiting Throughout the Year: Takahata Fudoson Kongoji
Takahata Fudoson Kongoji hosts festivals and events throughout the year. Major annual events include 「Hatsu Kobo Daishi」, 「Bean-Throwing Ceremony」, 「Flower Festival」, 「Spring Grand Festival and National Treasure Festival」, 「Hino Shinsengumi Festival」, 「Hydrangea Festival」, 「Chrysanthemum Festival」, 「Star Festival」, and 「Year-End Fudo and Annual Market」, with more than twenty events in total. Some are even flea-market–style gatherings such as the 「Gozare Market」 and recycling fairs.
The approach from Keio Line Takahatafudo Station is lined with restaurants and souvenir shops. Hino City is also known as the birthplace of the Shinsengumi. About a 15-minute walk from JR Hino Station is the 「Shinsengumi Hometown History Museum」, and the former home of Hijikata Toshizo in Ishida, Hino City, is open to the public as the 「Hijikata Toshizo Museum」. Throughout the city, the iconic white triangular Shinsengumi flags can be seen fluttering.
Takahata Fudoson is also the family temple of Hijikata Toshizo. A bronze statue stands near the five-story pagoda, and his memorial tablet is enshrined in the innermost hall, the Dainichi-do. Every May, the 「Hino Shinsengumi Festival」 is held, drawing fans from all over Japan.
| Event Period | January 28 |
|---|---|
| Address | 699 Takahata, Hino City, Tokyo |
| Website | |
| Access | Five-minute walk from Takahatafudo Station on the Keio Line or Tama Monorail |
| Discover more about the Tama region | https://at-tama.tokyo/lang_en/ Photos courtesy of Takako Shigegaki |
