Also called the Tōji Matsuri or Tōjisai in Japanese, this festival takes place at both a shrine (Ana Hachinmangū) and a temple (Hōjōji) in the Nishi Waseda area on the Winter Solstice each year.
What happens?
Traditionally, this time of year marks the plunge into the depths of winter, so to protect yourself from the cold weather, you can buy a mamori or charm from either the shrine or the temple — or both for good measure.
The charm is called Ichiyo Raifuku, which means to turnaround a negative into a positive. The idea being that the Winter Solstice is the darkest day of the year and from the next day, it gets lighter and lighter.
Additionally, there is a large winter market with stalls selling winter produce (such as yuzu citrus) as well as hot food to keep you warm.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.- 474 m from Waseda Station Tozai Line (T4)
- 0.5 km from Waseda Station (Toden) Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line) (SA30)
- 0.7 km from Omokagebashi Station Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line) (SA29)
