Fudō Myōō travels through the community: a prayerful custom passed down through generations
Tōgakuin’s Junko Fudō
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year, April–May / Every year
- Location
- Shibokuzan Tōgakuin
- Area
- Kanagawa Prefecture・Kawasaki City(From Tokyo: approx. 30 min–1 h · train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This is a traditional event in which local residents take turns welcoming the principal image of Tōgakuin, a statue of Fudō Myōō, and form a connection with the Buddha alongside people who visit its temporary lodging.
About Tōgakuin’s Junko Fudō
Tōgakuin’s Junko Fudō is a custom in which local residents take turns looking after the temple’s principal image, a statue of Fudō Myōō enshrined in a portable shrine.
Residents who take custody of the statue enshrine it in their homes or other places serving as temporary lodgings, where nearby people visit and form a connection with the Buddha.
This event carries on the tradition of a traveling exhibition, with Fudō Myōō leaving the temple to visit the community.
Festival highlights
The main highlight is that Fudō Myōō, who is said to remain unmoving, visits the community and is welcomed into residents’ homes and other places.
A caretaker receives the principal image, enshrined in a portable shrine, and nearby people who visit its temporary lodging form a personal connection with the Buddha.
The custom has continued uninterrupted for over 160 years since the Edo period and is also described as rare nationwide.
Fudō Myōō travels through the community: a prayerful custom passed down through generations
What to expect
During the procession, a caretaker is first chosen to receive the statue of Fudō Myōō, which is then enshrined at its temporary lodging.
During this period, nearby people visit the lodging and form a connection with Fudō Myōō.
A distinctive feature of the event is that local residents take turns holding the principal image, so the proceedings extend beyond the .
Location and access
- Venue and address
Shibokuzan Tōgakuin (1-8-1 Shiboku Honcho, Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa).
- Train and bus
From the south exit of Mizonokuchi Station on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line, take a Kawasaki City Bus for about 10 minutes, then get off at the Shiboku Honcho bus stop and walk 5 minutes.
Buses also run from Kajigaya, Mukōgaoka-Yūen, and Noborito stations. Get off at the Shiboku Fudō bus stop and walk 2 minutes. However, buses are infrequent, so plan accordingly.
- By car
Directions are provided from National Route 246, the Keihin-Kawasaki Interchange on the Daisan Keihin Road, and the Tōmei-Kawasaki Interchange on the Tōmei Expressway.
Visitors are advised not to come by car during azalea season.
Source: 等覚院（地図・アクセス）
Address 1-8-1 Shiboku Honcho, Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa
Dates and season
- Season
Every year, April–May
- Frequency
Every year
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
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 Kanagawa Prefecture / Kawasaki City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The Shiboku Fudō bus stop is a 2-minute walk away, but buses are reported to be infrequent.
It is a 5-minute walk from the Shiboku Honcho bus stop.
Since visitors are advised not to come by car during azalea season, using public transportation may be a good option.
Nearby attractions
よみうりランド
東京都と神奈川県の境界にある遊園地
日本民家園
日本の神奈川県川崎市の生田緑地公園内にある日本の古民家を展示する屋外博物館
写真：No machine-readable author provided. Fg2 assumed (based on copyright claims). / Public domain
Photo source ·Origins and History of Tōgakuin’s Junko Fudō
Tōgakuin’s Junko Fudō is a custom that has been passed down without interruption for over 160 years, from the Edo period to the present day.
The tradition of Fudō Myōō traveling around the neighborhood has been passed down since a time when transportation networks were underdeveloped.
In recent years, concerns have been raised that the custom may not continue because of a lack of successors. Alongside the traditional procession within the community, new efforts have also begun to bring it to people farther away.
Official information
Tōgakuin’s official website has an information page for the “Fudō Myōō Procession.”
The temple’s location and directions are also available on its official website.
Source: 神木山 等覚院＜天台宗＞（神奈川県川崎市宮前区）
Tōgakuin’s Junko Fudō at a Glance
Tōgakuin’s Junko Fudō is a traditional event in which local residents take turns carrying a statue of Fudō Myōō, enshrined in a portable shrine, and welcoming it into a temporary lodging.
It continues as a custom linking the temple with the community, as nearby people visit the temporary lodging and form a connection with the Buddha.
You can walk to Tōgakuin, the venue, from either the Shiboku Honcho or Shiboku Fudō bus stop.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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