This is a friendly neighborhood festival with a fiery twist.
What are daruma?
Daruma are round Japanese dolls designed to represent the founder of Zen Buddhism, Bodhidharma. Every year, people purchase dolls and fill in the pupil of one of their eyes (the right one) with black and make a wish. When that wish comes true, they fill in the left side. Once the daruma have completed their purpose, many take their dolls to shrines at the beginning of the year to set them alight.
You can even throw your daruma on the pyre if they haven’t fulfilled your wish — that’ll show them — but you still need to fill in the eyes.
What happens?
There will be plenty of sales of daruma dolls — from big to small (reservations are required for the big ones) — dances, and a bonfire to say goodbye to a pile of daruma dolls (around 300 to 500) who’ve completed their duties. The fire will be held from 3:30 p.m.
How to get there
From Shinjuku Station, take the Keio Line to Hashimoto Station (around 40 minutes) and from there change to the Sagami Line for Kamimizo Station (7 minutes). The market will be held just outside Kamimizo Honcho Self-Government Hall, 10 minutes from the station.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.- 0.6 km from Kamimizo Station JR Sagami Line
- 1.3 km from Banda Station JR Sagami Line