Held on July 9 and 10 each year, the Hōzuki Ichi is one of Asakusa's most beloved and photogenic seasonal markets. The Buddhist tradition holds that visiting Sensō-ji on July 9 — a day said to carry the merit of 46,000 ordinary visits — brings special spiritual benefit. More than a hundred vendors fill the temple precincts selling pots of bright orange hōzuki (Chinese lantern plants), which have been offered to temple spirits since the Edo era. The fair also features stalls selling furin (glass wind bells), kakigori (shaved ice), and seasonal sweets, making it a complete immersion in traditional Tokyo summer culture.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Matsuri
- Season
- Summer
- Month
- July 9–10
- Region
- Kanto
- Prefecture
- Tokyo
- City
- Asakusa, Tokyo
Highlights
- ◆400-year-old market tradition on one of Sensō-ji's most auspicious days
- ◆Hundreds of stalls selling vibrant orange hōzuki lantern plants
- ◆Furin wind-bell vendors with thousands of tinkling glass bells
- ◆Edo-period spiritual tradition attracting locals and visitors alike
- ◆Set within the iconic grounds of Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple