Oeshiki at Ikegami Honmonji

The Oeshiki (お会式) commemorates the passing of the saint Nichiren, a 13th century Japanese Buddhist whose teachings provide the basis for Nichiren Buddhism. While many temples hold similar ceremonies, the one at Ikegami Honmonji is the most significant as it was here that he is believed to have died. The event is one of the oldest and most deeply rooted of all that are held in Tokyo, and it is particularly famous for its mando (“10,000 lights”) where 3,000 people carry cherry blossom-decorated lanterns from Ikegami Tokumochi Hall (just south of Ikegami Station) to the temple. The Oeshiki is held over a 3-day period, but the main day is the 13th—the date of Nichiren’s passing—and the mando lantern parade is from 6:00 PM on the 12th.

Anyone planning to watch the culmination of the procession should note that the 96 steep stone steps of the temple, known as the Shikyo-nan-zaka, create a massive bottleneck for both performers and spectators. The parade atmosphere is exceptionally loud and percussive, dominated by the constant rhythm of uchiwa-daiko fan drums and the heavy swinging of matoi banners. Because the event concludes near midnight on the 12th, the final return trains to central Tokyo on the Tokyu Ikegami Line reach extreme capacity quickly. It is also important to recognize that the paper flowers on the mando lanterns are fragile; should rain occur, the outdoor parade is frequently curtailed to protect the handcrafted decorations.