Kanto · TokyoMarket
Two days in July when a single visit to Sensoji is said to be worth 46,000 — and the temple grounds fill with potted ground cherries and wind chimes.
Overview
Shimanrokusennichi is Sensoji’s highest merit day. Worshipping at the temple on 10 July is traditionally held to earn the same merit as 46,000 days of visits — roughly 126 years. Demand was such that the observance spread backwards to the 9th as well, which is why it now runs two days.
What draws the crowds is the Hozuki-ichi, the ground cherry market held alongside it. Around sixty stalls sell potted hozuki plants, each hung with a small glass wind chime, and another sixty or so stalls fill the rest of the precinct.
When and Where
9 and 10 July 2026, in the grounds of Sensoji in Asakusa. Stalls run from roughly 08:00–09:00 until about 21:00 on both days, though sellers pack up early once the plants are gone.
The Asakusa Tourism Federation’s guidance in recent years has been “about 9am to about 9pm”; opening times reported by other sources vary by an hour.
What to Expect
- Around 60 hozuki stalls plus roughly 60 other stalls filling the temple precinct
- Potted ground cherries sold with a small furin wind chime attached — the sound carries across the whole grounds
- The triangular “Kaminari-yoke” thunder-warding talisman on a bamboo skewer, issued by Sensoji only on these two days
- A market custom at Sensoji dating back to the Edo period
- Nakamise shopping street and Kaminarimon on the walk in
Admission and Practicalities
Free to enter. You pay only for what you buy — a potted hozuki typically runs to a few thousand yen.
Sensoji is a five-minute walk from Asakusa Station, served by the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Tobu Skytree Line and Tsukuba Express.
Tips for Visitors
Go early on the 9th rather than late on the 10th. The plants are freshest, the stalls are fully stocked, and the crush is noticeably lighter.
The Kaminari-yoke talisman is only available on these two days, so ask for it at the temple office if you want the one thing you cannot get the rest of the year.
July in Tokyo is punishing. The precinct offers little shade once you are past Nakamise.
Access and Map
| Dates | 9–10 July 2026 (annual fixed dates) |
|---|---|
| Times | Approx. 08:00/09:00 to approx. 21:00 both days |
| Venue | Sensoji, 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo |
| Access | Short walk from Asakusa Station (Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Tobu Skytree Line, Tsukuba Express) |
| Admission | Free |
| Official site | Asakusa Tourism Federation |
Source: Asakusa Tourism Federation
Image: Photo: d. F from Japan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)
