🏮 Sensoji Kannon Jigen-e

浅草寺観音示現会

Taito, Tokyo (Sensoji Temple) · Every year on 18 March

Traditional performing arts

185 days to go
Rooms around Taito, Tokyo fill up while the festival is on.

Sensoji Temple in Taito Ward, Tokyo, holds the Asakusa Kannon Jigen'e every year on March 18. It is a traditional Buddhist memorial service celebrating the appearance in this world of the temple's principal image, Sho Kannon Bosatsu. "Jigen" means a deity or Buddha appearing in various forms to save people. The festival traces back to March 18 in the 36th year of Emperor Suiko's reign (628), the sacred day of Sensoji's founding, and it conveys the origin of Sensoji, which has about 1,400 years of history. The day's highlights are the Honson Jigen'e memorial service held from 2:00 p.m. and the red prayer tablet called benizuri, which is given out in limited numbers. The Kinryu no Mai (Dance of the Golden Dragon) is also dedicated around 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m., entertaining visitors.

Getting there

About 5 minutes on foot from Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Tobu Skytree Line, and Tsukuba Express, or about 1 minute on foot from Nitemmon on the Toei Bus Kitamegurin.