The Homecoming of the Wooden Mallet Yakushi

This festival carries the wooden mallet Yakushi in a from Chogakuji in Achi Village to the site of Kanjōji, returning the image to its former home. For more than 200 years, the festival has carried on the journey of the Yakushi Nyorai statue, which was moved to Chogakuji after escaping the temple’s destruction, as it travels through the community and returns to a place connected to its past.

About The Homecoming of the Wooden Mallet Yakushi

The homecoming of the wooden mallet Yakushi is a festival that returns a wooden standing statue of Yakushi Nyorai from Chogakuji in Achi Village, Nagano Prefecture, to the place where Kanjōji once stood.

According to tradition, the Yakushi Nyorai statue was made by the Great Teacher Dengyō, and its name is also said to be connected with a wooden mallet.

The festival began when a small hall was rebuilt on the site of Kanjōji in the Edo period and has been passed down by local people for more than 200 years.

It is currently designated an Achi Village Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Festival highlights

The highlight is a procession carrying the wooden mallet Yakushi in a mikoshi made in the Edo period, traveling through the surrounding districts toward the site of Kanjōji Temple.

The wooden mallet Yakushi is said to have been rescued and moved to Chogakuji when Kanjōji was destroyed by fire during an attack by Oda forces.

The festival’s structure, in which the Yakushi Nyorai statue returns to a small hall built on the site of Kanjōji, reflects the region’s faith and history.

Yakushi’s homecoming: a 200-year tradition passed down in Achi Village

What to expect

During the festival, a wooden standing statue of Yakushi Nyorai enshrined at Chogakuji is placed in a mikoshi and carried through the surrounding districts.

It is then returned to a small hall built on the site of the former Kanjōji Temple.

The wooden mallet Yakushi is a Buddhist image that was enshrined at Kanjōji and is said to have been moved to Chogakuji after the temple was burned down.

The procession itself tells the story of the statue’s journey and the community’s memories.

Location and access

Venue and address: Chogakuji Temple, 569 Komaba, Achi Village, Shimoina District, Nagano Prefecture
Train and bus: Express bus: about a 20-minute walk from the Komaba (Chuo Expressway Hirugami Onsen) bus stop / Local bus: about a 10-minute walk from the Komanba bus stop
By car: About 10 minutes from Iida-Yamamoto IC
Parking: Yes

Address 569 Komaba, Achi Village, Shimoina District, Nagano Prefecture

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Dates and season

Season: Spring
Frequency: Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Nagano Prefecture / Achi Village (the search is not centered on the festival venue)

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Tips for your visit

長岳寺の参拝時間は9:00～17:00です。

Admission to view the temple treasures costs 200 yen per person. Photography of the treasures and Buddhist images is not permitted.

For visiting and viewing the temple during the festival, please follow the temple’s guidance.

Nearby attractions

Near Chogakuji, Shinano Hiei Kōshōin, also in Achi Village, is featured.

Chogakuji is said to have originated from Kōshōin, which the Great Teacher Dengyō established for people crossing the Kamisaka Pass. You can trace the historical connection between the two temples.

Ruriji and Rinshōji in Takamori Town, Shimoina District, Nagano Prefecture, are also listed as nearby temples.

Origins and History of The Homecoming of the Wooden Mallet Yakushi

The homecoming of the wooden mallet Yakushi has its roots in the destruction of Kanjōji and the relocation of the Yakushi Nyorai statue enshrined there.

It is said that when Kanjōji was completely destroyed by fire during an attack in Tenshō 10 (1582), the wooden mallet Yakushi was rescued and moved to Chogakuji.

In Kansei 3 (1791), a small hall was rebuilt on the site of Kanjōji, prompting the start of the festival to return the Yakushi Nyorai statue.

It has been passed down without interruption for more than 200 years.