Just unveiled: Japan’s largest wooden seated statue of Fudomyoo "See it and then die."

The consecration ceremony of the Japan’s largest wooden seated statue of Fudomyoo was held at Fukagawa Fudoson temple on Sept. 15.

The statue uses over 500-year-old camphor trees in Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan. It gives off a good sacred smell of camphor because the statue totally shows its bare wood surface without any lacquer coating. 

It's a great work by one of Japan's most acclaimed sculptors of Buddha statues. He gave 5 years to his work. He expended so much energy on the work that he had lost some 30 kilograms (66 lbs.) of body weight when he completed it.  He must have accomplished the work at the risk of his life.

The seated statue is 3.2 meters (10.4 ft.) high and weighs about 1.5 tons (3300 lbs.).  If the statue rises to its feet, it may be over 5 meters high.

Next Free Tours : September 24, Saturday

Our next free volunteer-guided walking tours will be held on September 24, Saturday.
Have a glimpse of Shitamachi (Tokyo’s old town) and discover a local traditional Japanese culture with your friends.

new statue of Fudomyoo

【Course A】
“See the difference between Shinto shrines &
Buddhist temples. Experience the mysterious

Goma Fire Ritual in Esoteric Buddhism."

Tour dates & time : September 24, Saturday, 2:00 pm– 4:00 pm (2 hours)
Visit: Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine and Fukagawa Fudoson Temple
Meet at: Torii gate of Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine (3 minute-walk from Monzen nakacho station on the Tozai Subway Line: see the map)
Tour fee: Free of charge

Basho statue

【Course B】
“Learn about Basho, the founder of Haiku, the world’s shortest poems; 

Take a scenic walk in a 

Japanese Garden

.”
Tour date & time: September 24, Saturday, 1:00 -3:00 pm
Visit: Basho Kinen-kan Memorial Museum and Kiyosumi Garden Park
Meet at: Basho Memorial Museum(7minute-walk from Morishita Station on Toei Shinjuku-Line or Oedo Subway Lines : see the map)
Admission: 100 yen for Basho Memorial Museum and 150 yen for Kiyosumi Garden Park (pay at the gate)
Tour fee: Free of charge

【Course C】— Customized course

Please feel free to consult us concerning other courses and their dates as well.

Examples:

●Fukagawa Edo Museum

Here, you can get a feel for what life was like in Tokyo’s old town in Edo period.
●Sumo stables
You may have a rare opportunity to watch a powerful Sumo wrestlers’ morning training session.
●Edo wood carving
You can admire a skilled artisan’s precious traditional crafts.

For application: Please select your desired course and e-mail to : koto.guide (a) gmail.com -- replace (a) with @--, with the subject "Koto City Walking Tour", and your name, gender, nationality, number of participants and your contact number in message body. We will reply to your e-mail as soon as possible.

*We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service. We will never sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties.

Free Tours in June

Our next free volunteer-guided walking tours will be held on June 25, Saturday.
Have a glimpse of Shitamachi (Tokyo’s old town) and discover a local traditional Japanese culture with your friends. (Inquire about custom tours and days.)

Fukagawa Fudoson temple

【Course A】
“See the mysterious Ritual of Fire and the biggest and most luxurious mobile shrine; Find different religions.”
Tour dates & time : June 25, Saturday, 2:00 pm– 4:00 pm (2 hours)
Visit: Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine and Fukagawa Fudoson Temple
Meet at: Torii gate of Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine (3 minute-walk from Monzen nakacho station on the Tozai Subway Line: see the map)
Tour fee: Free of charge

Kiyosumi Garden

【Course B】
“Learn about Basho, the founder of Haiku, the world’s shortest poems; Walk through a Japanese Garden.”
Tour date & time: June 25, Saturday, 1:00 -3:00 pm
Visit: Basho Kinen-kan Memorial Museum and Kiyosumi Garden Park
Meet at: Basho Memorial Museum(7minute-walk from Morishita Station on Toei Shinjuku-Line or Oedo Subway Lines : see the map)
Admission: 100 yen for Basho Memorial Museum and 150 yen for Kiyosumi Garden Park (pay at the gate)
Tour fee: Free of charge


For application: Please select your desired course and e-mail to : koto.guide (a) gmail.com -- replace (a) with @--, with the subject "Koto City Walking Tour", and your name, gender, nationality, number of participants and your contact number in message body. We will reply to your e-mail as soon as possible.

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service. We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties.

Next tour: May 28, Saturday

Our next free volunteer-guided walking tours will be held on May 28, Saturday.
It's a beautiful season in Tokyo. Enjoy tours, have a glimpse of Shitamachi (Tokyo’s old town) and discover a local traditional Japanese culture with your friends. (Inquire about custom tours and days.)

【Course A】
“See the mysterious Ritual of Fire, find the difference between Shinto shrines & Buddhist temples.”
Tour dates & time : May 28, Saturday, 2:00 pm– 4:00 pm (2 hours)
Visit: Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine and Fukagawa Fudoson Temple
Meet at: Torii gate of Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine (3 minute-walk from Monzen nakacho station on the Tozai Subway Line: see the map)
Tour fee: Free of charge

【Course B】
“Learn about Basho, the founder of Haiku, the world’s shortest poems; See a Japanese Garden.”
Tour date & time: May 28, Saturday, 1:00 -3:00 pm
Visit: Basho Kinen-kan Memorial Museum and Kiyosumi Garden Park
Meet at: Basho Memorial Museum(7minute-walk from Morishita Station on Toei Shinjuku-Line or Oedo Subway Lines : see the map)
Admission: 100 yen for Basho Memorial Museum and 150 yen for Kiyosumi Garden Park (pay at the gate)
Tour fee: Free of charge


For application: Please select your desired course and e-mail to : koto.guide (a) gmail.com -- replace (a) with @--, with the subject "Koto City Walking Tour", and your name, gender, nationality, number of participants and your contact number in message body. We will reply to your e-mail as soon as possible.

Why cancel the Fukagawa Festival?

Soon after the big earthquake on 3.11, Tomioka Hachimangu shrine in Koto-ku, Tokyo, decided to cancel this year's Fukagawa Festival, which is one of the big three festivals in Tokyo and held only once every three years.

But local people are not convinced why it has to be cancelled. Cancellation doesn't make sense, they think.

As the Festival attracts half a million onlookers, we could use the chance to help such activities as fundraising for the people affected and also to help revitalising the economy, their website says.

They have started collecting signatures appealing for holding the Festival.　If you agree with them, you can contribute by sending e-mail to : fukagawa_2011@mail.goo.ne.jp, with the subject "Kaisai Sando"(in favor of holding the festival) , and your name and address (only state / prefecture is OK) in message body.

Fukagawa Festival: Held every three years in August, also called "water-throwing festival", as spectators throw water on the mikoshi carriers. More than 50 spectacular Mikoshis, or mobile shrines, parade through the town with Tokyo's traditional calling out "Wa-sshoi". The water helps both cooling them down and making people more and more excited.

Next tour: April 30, Saturday

We will be holding free volunteer-guided walking  tours on April 30, Saturday, as scheduled.
It's one of the best seasons for walking tour in Tokyo.

Fukagawa Fudoson

【Course A】
“See the mysterious Ritual of Fire, find the difference between Shinto shrines & Buddhist temples.”
Tour dates & time : April 30, Saturday,  1:00 pm– 3:00 pm (2 hours)
Visit: Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine and Fukagawa Fudoson Temple
Meet at: Torii gate of Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine (3 minute-walk from Monzen nakacho station on the Tozai Subway Line: see the map)
Tour fee: Free of charge



For application: Please select your desired course and e-mail to  <koto.guide (a) gmail.com> -- replace (a) with @--  (subject: Koto City Walking Tour) with your name, gender, nationality, number of participants and your contact number. We will reply to your e-mail as soon as possible.

Back To Normal

Worrying about visiting or going out in Japan?

In Tokyo, everything has got back to normal and people here are enjoying sunny beautiful days of spring as usual.

Why don't you get out and attend our free walking tour?

Family and children enjoy Hanami, cherry blossom watching, in Kiba-koen park, Koto-ku, Tokyo