What are the opening hours of Akibasan Daigongen Annual Festival (Komyoji Temple, Zaimokuza, Kamakura)?

11:00– Check the official page for closed days and last admission.

Festivals & local events

Akibasan Daigongen Annual Festival (Komyoji Temple, Zaimokuza, Kamakura)

Japanese title: 秋葉山大権現例大祭（光明寺・鎌倉材木座）

Komyoji Temple (Zaimokuza, Kamakura) (Kamakura Sta.)

At Komyoji in Zaimokuza, a procession moves from the main gate to the Kaizan-do hall to honor the fire-protection deity Akibasan. Starts 11:00; the procession is cancelled in rain.

Date: Nov 18 (Wed)
Time: 11:00–
Price: See the official page for prices
Venue: Komyoji Temple (Zaimokuza, Kamakura)
Nearest station: Kamakura Sta.

Check closed days and last admission on the official page before you go.

Check the official page (Japanese)Open in Google Maps

About this event

Costumed tengu and crow figures join Buddhist monks in a ceremonial procession at Komyoji Temple's Akibasan Sanjakubo Daigongen Festival, a distinctive religious observance in Kamakura's Zaimokuza district. The annual ceremony is dedicated to protection against fires and other disasters, with a procession traditionally proceeding toward the Akiba shrine on the hill behind the temple. The shrine honors Akiba Daigongen, a protective figure associated with preventing fire and safeguarding the temple precincts. Komyoji's own account describes the appearance of tengu and crow costumes alongside its monks, creating an unusual visual combination of Buddhist ritual and mountain-associated protective traditions. Visitors can also explore the historic temple setting, including its grounds and structures beneath the surrounding hills. Unlike a commercial street festival, this is principally a religious ceremony. Its significance lies in the continued observance of local protective beliefs and the ceremonial relationship between the temple and the hillside shrine.

Highlights

Watch costumed tengu and crow figures accompany Buddhist monks.
Observe a ceremony dedicated to protection from fire and disasters.
See the procession associated with the hillside Akiba shrine.
Explore Komyoji's historic Buddhist temple grounds.

Good for: Visitors interested in Buddhist ceremonies, Japanese religious history and traditional ritual costumes.

Summarized from the official page and press materials.

Why do tengu appear at a Buddhist temple's fire-protection ceremony?

Komyoji's Akiba Daigongen is a protective figure enshrined on the hillside behind the temple. The temple explains that this guardian protects its precincts against fire and theft. According to a traditional account, Komyoji's thirty-third head priest, Shinyo Densatsu, manifested himself in the form of a tengu to protect the temple. This association helps explain the unusual procession, in which tengu and crow figures accompany Buddhist monks. The festival brings these guardian traditions into a visible religious ceremony rather than presenting them as theatrical entertainment.

Komyoji is a major Jodo Buddhist temple, and its grounds preserve religious spaces associated with the surrounding hillside. The annual Akibasan Sanjakubo Daigongen observance specifically prays for protection from fire and other disasters, reflecting a longstanding concern of Japanese communities. The shrine's protective role is particularly meaningful within a temple complex containing historic wooden buildings. Although the festival is visually striking, its central purpose remains prayer. So approach the procession as a religious observance and pay attention to the relationship between the monks, guardian figures and hillside sanctuary.

Komyoji Temple — Annual Events (Japanese) · Komyoji Temple — Temple Grounds (Japanese)

Distance from major stations

From Yuigahama: 1.8 km, about 15 min by train
From Kamakura: 2.0 km, about 15 min by train
From Hase: 2.1 km, about 15 min by train
From Zushi: 2.3 km, about 15 min by train

Distances are straight-line; times are rough estimates.

Other events nearby

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Yoshiya Nobuko Memorial Hall Autumn Public Opening (Hase, Kamakura)Yoshiya Nobuko Memorial Hall (Yuigahama Sta.) · 2.1 km, about 15 min by train from here · Oct 31 (Sat) – Nov 29 (Sun)
LIVING IN CINEMA: Actor Koji Yakusho (Kamakura Kawakita Film Museum)Kamakura City Kawakita Film Museum (Kamakura Sta.) · 2.3 km, about 15 min by train from here · Sep 5 (Sat) – Dec 13 (Sun)
Kamakura's Nunneries: A History of Prayer Woven by Nuns (Kamakura Museum of History and Culture)Kamakura Museum of History and Culture, Annex Archaeology Gallery (Kamakura Sta.) · 2.4 km, about 15 min by train from here · Sep 19 (Sat) – Nov 28 (Sat)
Kamakura Museum of National Treasures: Zuisenji 700 YearsKamakura Museum of National Treasures (Kamakura Sta.) · 2.6 km, about 15 min by train from here · Oct 24 (Sat) – Dec 6 (Sun)
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Food and cafes nearby

Restaurants Cafes Halal food Dog-friendly cafes

Search places around the venue on Google Maps.

Tours and tickets nearby

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FAQ

What is Akibasan Daigongen Annual Festival (Komyoji Temple, Zaimokuza, Kamakura)?: Costumed tengu and crow figures join Buddhist monks in a ceremonial procession at Komyoji Temple's Akibasan Sanjakubo Daigongen Festival, a distinctive religious observance in Kamakura's Zaimokuza district. The annual ceremony is dedicated to protection against fires and other disasters, with a procession traditionally proceeding toward the Akiba shrine on the hill behind the temple. The shrine honors Akiba Daigongen, a protective figure associated with preventing fire and safeguarding the temple precincts. Komyoji's own account describes the appearance of tengu and crow costumes alongside its monks, creating an unusual visual combination of Buddhist ritual and mountain-associated protective traditions. Visitors can also explore the historic temple setting, including its grounds and structures beneath the surrounding hills. Unlike a commercial street festival, this is principally a religious ceremony. Its significance lies in the continued observance of local protective beliefs and the ceremonial relationship between the temple and the hillside shrine.
When is Akibasan Daigongen Annual Festival (Komyoji Temple, Zaimokuza, Kamakura)?: Nov 18 (Wed)
What are the opening hours of Akibasan Daigongen Annual Festival (Komyoji Temple, Zaimokuza, Kamakura)?: 11:00– Check the official page for closed days and last admission.
How much does Akibasan Daigongen Annual Festival (Komyoji Temple, Zaimokuza, Kamakura) cost?: See the official page for prices
Where is Akibasan Daigongen Annual Festival (Komyoji Temple, Zaimokuza, Kamakura) and what is the nearest station?: It is held at Komyoji Temple (Zaimokuza, Kamakura). The nearest station is Kamakura Sta..

Checked against the official page on October 28, 2026. Titles and descriptions are our own translations.

We list events we could confirm on the official page or official Instagram of the venue or organiser. Details can change, tickets sell out and venues close, so check the official page before you go. Distances are straight-line and travel times are rough estimates. Photos show the venue or its surroundings, not the event itself. Titles and descriptions are our own translations from Japanese. This site contains affiliate links (ads).