Jindaiji Daruma Festival 深大寺だるま市

Jindaiji (深大寺) is Tokyo's 2nd largest temple, and every year to welcome the arrival of Spring, Jindaiji temple holds the annual Daruma-Ichi (だるま市) on March 3rd and 4th. 

People will come to Jindaiji Daruma-Ichi during this period to buy a new Daruma for their home or office, and to burn away their previous year's Daruma. After you have bought your Daruma, you can bring it to the Gansan-Daishi shrine (元三大師堂) where the monk will help you to fill in the left eye of your new Daruma a letter from the Indian bonji script (equivalent to the Japanese character 阿 or ‘a’). This special character signifies that a wish has been made or ‘begun’.

One year later, when your wish is fulfilled, the right eye should be filled in with the second bonji character (equating to the Japanese character 吽 or ‘n’ and the last letter in the Japanese alphabet), to signify that the wish has been granted or ‘ended’.

Temporary set up stalls line along the way, with 80% of them selling Daruma figurines. The original Daruma is in red, but nowadays, people start to sell Daruma in other colours, which have different representation (such as Gold for wealth, Green for health, Black for business). But most Japanese still buy the original red Daruma. 

Shops & restaurants along Jindaiji.

Jindaji is famous for their soba, as well as products made from soba flour ( 蕎麦) or what we call buckwheat in English. This shop sells soba dango, a mochi like dumpling, made from buckwheat instead of rice flour.      

More shops selling Japanese desserts. 

There was a small lake at Jindaiji, and I just couldn't resist taking a photo of this cute little duck. 

Okonomiyaki stalls are a must at any festivals.  

These okonomiyaki portions were huge! This stall sells the Hiroshima version of the okonomiyaki, whereby portions are layered instead of all mixed together.

It's lastly topped with a fried egg and some bacon, before the whole thing is folded into half and topped with Okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise. 

Bought one for 500yen, but had to share with a friend as it was simply too large for 1 person consumption.

This is how you shred loads of cabbage quickly with the cabbage shredder. 

Some activities happening in front of the shrine. 

 This stall sells dried seafood which are flavoured, most probably suitable as a snack for beer, or a side dish for rice. 

This stall sells imagawayaki (今川焼き) or what is more widely known as oban-yaki (大判焼き) by many. The traditional one contains sweet azuki bean paste ( fillings, but just look at the variety of other fillings available : pudding, chestnut, mochi, cheese, cream, ham mayo, chocolate, yam. 
Well actually Mr Bean in Singapore also carries a variety of similar flavours.. and hey, they even have tuna mayo and egg mayo!

With both sides of the street lined with temporary stalls, the road gets narrower and it sure gets crowded towards the late morning. 

Although there are many stalls all selling Daruma dolls, different stalls may carry Darumas with a slight different facial expression, as well as different sizes, so you'll have to search carefully to find one which you like.

Hope this couple have found one to their liking.

Darumas everywhere.. which one do you have an affinity with?

 Last task of the day is to get your Daruma to the Kaigan-sho (開眼所) for the monk to help you fill in the left eye. Payment is not compulsory but they'll be glad if you make a donation at the side.

I too bought a couple of Daruma, just for fun. Daruma's left eye was already filled by the monk, but as it was a souvenir for me, and I also didn't have the chance to go back to Jindaiji one year later, the one eyed Daruma now sits in my display cupboard. 

How to get there:

Nearest train station: 

Kichijoji (吉祥寺) or Mitaka (三鷹), JR Chuo line (中央線)

Tsutsujigaoka (つつじヶ丘) or Chofu (調布), Keio line (京王線)

Take a bus from the respective train stations and alight at Jindaiji 「深大寺」:

Kichijoji station - bus 吉04, 吉05, 吉06

Mitaka station - bus 鷹56, 鷹65  

Tsutsuijigaoka station - 丘21  

Chofu station - 調34, 調35, 吉06, 吉14, 鷹56  

I happened to chance upon this particular website which the author takes 360 degree rotating pictures together with sound! Click to experience Jindaiji Daruma-ichi as if you were there!