Jindai-ji Hōzuki Festival

Overview

The Jindaiji Hozuki Matsuri (Ground Cherry Festival) is a summer tradition held around July 20 each year at Jindaiji Temple in Chofu City, Tokyo. The festival involves arranging ground cherries (Physalis alkekengi) that resemble lanterns along the temple approach and precincts to welcome ancestral spirits, rooted in Buddhist observances . The festival was started with reference to the Asakusa Temple Hozuki Market, but its dates follow the festival days observed at Jindaiji: that of Jinja Daio on the 17th and that of Enmei Kannon on the 18th.

Admission is free, attracting a wide demographic from local residents to tourists, with several thousand visitors over three days. The festival takes place mainly on the temple grounds and approach, featuring a ground cherry market, a handmade goods market, live performances, and a pilgrimage to eight Kannon statues, all held simultaneously . The main festival has not been held since it was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; in recent years only the Hozuki Happy Gate installation and ground cherry sales have continued. Check the official website for the latest status.

History and Origin

The origins of the Jindaiji Hozuki Matsuri date back to the festival days of Jinja Daio and Enmei Kannon, enshrined at Jindaiji, observed at the temple. The festival day of Jinja Daio falls on the 17th of each month and that of Enmei Kannon on the 18th, and the three-day festival around July 20 is scheduled in accordance with them. The Asakusa Temple Hozuki Market, held on July 9 and 10, continues the Edo-period 46,000-day merit day custom, and Jindaiji drew on that market when starting its own while keeping its own dates.

Ground cherries have been believed since ancient times to ward off evil spirits and were used during the Obon season as substitutes for paper lanterns to welcome ancestral spirits. The practice of hanging the orange-red fruits on stems to resemble lanterns is observed at temples and shrines across Japan . At Jindaiji, the ground cherry market began in conjunction with the festival day of Jinja Daio (the deity from whom the temple takes its name) on the 17th and the Enmei Kannon festival day on the 18th.

The festival in its current comprehensive form began in 2009 when a local volunteer group, the Hozuki Matsuri Executive Committee, was established. While ground cherries had been sold at the temple prior to this, the executive committee added events such as a handmade goods market, a pilgrimage to eight Kannon statues, and local product exhibitions, transforming it into a major summer attraction that draws tourists . The committee is composed entirely of citizen volunteers, and this grassroots organization gives the festival a warm, community-oriented feel.

In 2018, the Jindaiji Hozuki Matsuri celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special service offering Jindaiji soba noodles. That year, coinciding with the GeGeGe no Kitaro anime boom, many visitors came, and all prepared potted and branch ground cherries sold out . Additionally, from around July 13 to August 15 each year, a Hozuki Happy Gate is installed at the main temple gate, decorating the approach.

Highlights

Ground Cherry Market At the ground cherry market, potted plants and branch-cut ground cherries are sold. Potted plants come with a basket, wind chime, and tanzaku (poem strip), with about 600 pots prepared . Prices are more affordable than at the Asakusa Temple market, thanks to volunteer operation. The sight of orange-red fruits swaying in the wind evokes the atmosphere of welcoming spirits with Obon lanterns.

Handmade Goods Market A handmade goods market is held on the temple grounds and approach, selling fabric items, accessories, glassware, woodcraft, and Japanese-style goods . Craftspeople sell their own work directly, allowing visitors to hear the stories behind each piece. This market functions as a temple-marketplace that connects people through objects, supporting local craftsmanship.

Eight Kannon Pilgrimage Jindaiji houses eight Kannon statues, and visitors can participate in a stamp rally to visit all of them. Collecting stamps at each statue earns a commemorative gift. The statues are located at various points around the temple, including the Jinja Daio Hall and main hall, allowing pilgrims to experience the temple architecture and history.

Jinja Hall Live Performances At the Jinja Daio Hall, performances featuring gamelan, sitar, tabla, and other instruments, as well as dance and talk shows, take place. The sounds of traditional Indonesian and Indian instruments add an exotic atmosphere to the serene temple setting. The Chofu Yosakoi dance is also performed, blending tradition with modern energy.

Local Product Exhibition An exhibition from Bungotakada City in Oita Prefecture, known for summer soba, sells soba noodles and local specialties . This collaboration came about because both Jindaiji and Bungotakada are prominent summer soba producers. A disaster recovery support booth for the Great East Japan Earthquake provides products from the Minamisoma area of Fukushima Prefecture.

Edible Ground Cherry Sweets Limited-edition sweets made from edible ground cherries, distinct from ornamental varieties, are sold. Edible ground cherries have a sweet-sour flavor that offers refreshment in the summer heat. Local confectionery shops cooperate to produce these special items available only during the festival.

Event Details and Access

• Dates: Annually for three days around July 20. Check the official website for the latest schedule and availability .
• Hours: 10:00 a.m. To 6:30 p.m. (may close earlier on the final day).
• Venue: Jindaiji Temple precincts and approach (5-15-1 Jindaiji Motomachi, Chofu City, Tokyo).
• Admission: Free (ground cherry purchase and market items are paid).
• Access (train): From Keio Line Chofu Station, take the Keio Bus to Jindaiji (about 15 minutes), alight at the terminal and walk immediately. Or from JR Chuo Line Mitaka Station, take the Odakyu Bus to Jindaiji (about 20 minutes).
• Access (car): About 10 minutes from Chofu IC on the Chuo Expressway. Paid parking available nearby (limited spaces; public transportation recommended).
• Organizer: Hozuki Matsuri Executive Committee (citizen volunteer group). Supported by Chofu City Tourism Association.
• Weather cancellation: Possible cancellation or downsizing in bad weather. Check official site on the morning of the event.
• Notes: No smoking on temple grounds; pets must be leashed; one-way traffic rules may apply during crowds.

Surrounding Area

Jindaiji Temple is located in western Chofu City, surrounded by abundant nature reminiscent of the Musashino region. Adjacent to the temple is the Jindai Botanical Gardens, a Tokyo metropolitan botanical garden with rose gardens, large greenhouses, and aquatic plant gardens that bloom seasonally. During the Hozuki Matsuri, summer flowers such as sunflowers and water lilies are in full bloom, allowing visitors to spend the entire day between the temple and the gardens .

The temple approach features about 20 soba noodle restaurants, with Jindaiji soba being a famous specialty in the Kanto region. During the festival, cold zaru soba and summer-limited yamakake soba are popular, with long lines forming at lunchtime. The Kitaro Chaya (GeGeGe no Kitaro Tea House) sells character-themed sweets and goods based on the popular manga and anime, attracting families with children .

Around Jindaiji, there are spots suitable for strolling, such as the Chofu City Jindaiji Nature House and Fuda Tenjinsha Shrine. Fuda Tenjinsha Shrine, about a 15-minute walk from Jindaiji, holds a chinowa kuguri (ring-passing ritual) in July. Many visitors to the Hozuki Matsuri also stop by these locations, enveloping the entire area in a summer festival atmosphere.

Related Information

1. The Asakusa Temple Hozuki Market is held annually on July 9 and 10, a continuation of the Edo-period 46,000-day merit day custom. While both sell ground cherries, the Jindaiji Hozuki Matsuri derives from the festival days of Jinja Daio and Enmei Kannon, a separate lineage with different dates and origins.
2. Jindaiji Temple is said to have been founded in 733 AD (Tenpyo 5); the principal image of its main hall is a statue of Amida Nyorai, while the statue of Ganzan Daishi (High Priest Jie) is enshrined in the separate Ganzan Daishi Hall. The Hozuki Matsuri has become a fixed summer tradition at this ancient temple .
3. Jinja Daio (the deity from whom the temple takes its name) is enshrined in the Jinja Daio Hall on the temple grounds. The Hozuki Matsuri is held in conjunction with the festival day of this deity .
4. The Chofu Yosakoi dance is performed by yosakoi teams based in Chofu City on the final day of the Hozuki Matsuri. The dynamic dance performances energize the temple grounds .
5. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Hozuki Matsuri was cancelled, and the main festival has not been held since. Only the Hozuki Happy Gate and ground cherry sales continue; check the official website for the latest status.
6. The latest information on the Jindaiji Hozuki Matsuri is available on the Chofu City Tourism Association website (Chofu Kanko Navi) and the Hozuki Matsuri Executive Committeese website. Detailed schedules are typically announced around May each year .

← Explore More Festivals