Akaidake Yakushi Jofukuji
Final Pilgrimage Site of the 36 Fudo Temples in the Tohoku Region,
Final Pilgrimage Site of the 88 Sacred Temples in Fukushima,
First Pilgrimage Site of the 12 Yakushi Temples in the Hamadori Region of Fukushima
Akaidake Yakushi Jofukuji
A magnificent view of Iwaki City, Akaidake Yakushi Jofukuji
Akaidake Yakushi Jofukuji
Located on Mt. Akaidake overlooking Iwaki City, the view of the endless plains is spectacular. Akaidake Yakushi Jofukuji is a prestigious temple that has been recognized as a special head temple of the Shingon sect. The temple grounds, which have a history of over 1,200 years, are filled with giant cedar and cypress trees that are hundreds of years old, and are known as a power spot.
The summer festival "Saito Ohgoma" is known as the "Fire Festival" and is held every year on August 31st and September 1st. The path to the shrine is lit up with candles, creating an elegant sight, and ascetic monks dressed in mountain ascetic garb walk barefoot on the ashes of the goma altar to receive divine blessings.
Information on visiting Akaidake Yakushi Jofukuji
Open: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Closed: Open everyday
Admission fee: Free
Reservations: Not required *Reservations required for prayers
Note
In winter, the mountain may be closed due to snowfall or freezing.
Please call to confirm before visiting.
HATSU-MOUDE
HATSU‐MOUDE
The New Year's Day Ohgoma Prayer Ceremony begins at midnight on New Year's Day. It is believed to bring blessings for family safety, traffic safety, etc.
SETSUBUN
SETSUBUN
It will be held on Setsubun, February 3rd.
Prayers and bean scattering are held.
NINGYO KUYO-SAI
NINGYO KUYO-SAI
We offer a memorial service to the dolls you have cherished, expressing gratitude for the memories and praying for a new journey. We hold memorial services for various types of dolls, including Hina dolls, French dolls, stuffed animals, Hagoita (battledores), all kinds of dolls, and dolls in glass cases.
*The dates change each year, so please contact us for more information.
Dog Festival, Health, Longevity TOKUBETSU KIGAN
TOKUBETSU KIGAN
We will offer individual prayers for owners and their pets. You will be given a prayer card and a special amulet.
*We also offer prayers for animals other than dogs, so please contact us for more information.
Prayer
PRAYER
At our temple, in front of the statue of Yakushi Nyorai, the principal deity of the temple, we offer prayers for the fulfillment of the wishes of all visitors to the temple through the practice of the "Goma" ritual, a mystic practice of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism.
Please register at the reception desk about 30 minutes before the prayer time on the day.
Goma Prayer
10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Prayers are offered in front of the main statue of Yakushi Nyorai. *Please call to confirm.
Praying for safe automobile traffic
9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.
We offer prayers for safe driving at our temple's Fudodo Hall. *Your car number is required.
In addition, prayers are offered on such events as Hatsu-moude, Setsubun, the summer festival, the Saito Ohgoma, and the equinox.
Event
EVENT
A view that occurs twice a year, only at sunrise on the equinoxes
The scenery you wake up to
Twice a year, at the spring and autumnal equinoxes, the rising sun shines through the approach to the temple in a straight line toward Yakushido, creating a path of sunlight that illuminates the temple. The dramatic phenomenon created by the sun's rays seems to lead us out of this world of worries and doubts into the world of enlightenment and the world of Buddha.
January 1st ~
New Year's Prayer / Hatsu-moude (New Year's visit)
The New Year's Day Ohgoma Prayer begins at 0:00 on New Year's Day. It is believed to bring blessings for family safety, traffic safety, etc.
February 3rd
Setsubun Festival
It will be held on Setsubun, February 3rd. Prayers and bean scattering are held.
August 31st - September 1st
Saito Ohgoma
It is one of the Shugendo practices and is also known as the "Fire Festival." The "Saito Ohgoma" is one of the Shugendo practices, in which goma is lit with firewood and brushwood and is said to have been used to exorcise poisonous snakes that plague ascetics who enter the mountain.
The Great Summer Festival of Saito Ohgoma at Akaidake Yakushi Jofukuji
Yoi Matsuri August 31st
Main Festival September 1st
Flames of Prayer Flying in the Sky
It is one of the Shugendo practices and is also known as the "Fire Festival." The "Saito Ohgoma" is one of the Shugendo practices, in which goma is lit with firewood and brushwood and is said to have been used to exorcise poisonous snakes that plague ascetics who enter the mountain.
Yoi Matsuri (Evening Festival) August 31st
During the “Mando-e,” the approach to the temple is lit by candlelight from near sunset, creating a fantastic atmosphere. At 6:00 p.m., a Daihannya-e is held in the main hall, and around 7:00 p.m., the Jangara Nenbutsu Dance is performed in the precincts of the temple.
Main Festival September 1st
The festival begins at noon with the blowing of a conch shell by ascetic monks dressed in the costumes of mountain priests.
"Firewalking"
Visitors write their wishes on goma sticks. The goma sticks are burned on the goma altar, and when the fire goes out, the monks walk barefoot over the ashes, with the monks at the front. They walk along the fire path with their hands together in prayer, praying for health and safety for their families.
Access
ACCESS
Name
Akaidake Yakushi Jofukuji
Location
1 Akaidake, Tairaakai, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, 979-3131
Phone
0246-36-2161
FAX
0246-36-5894
