{"id":29232,"date":"2026-11-10T17:35:48","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T08:35:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/?page_id=29232"},"modified":"2026-11-11T18:51:56","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T09:51:56","slug":"jorakuji-monjusai","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/en\/ofuna-kamakura\/jorakuji-temple-ofuna-kamakura\/jorakuji-monjusai\/","title":{"rendered":"Monju Festival at Jorakuji Temple (\u5e38\u697d\u5bfa)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"The
The Butsuden (right) and Monjudo Hall (left) at Jorakuji Temple<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is the Monju Festival at Jorakuji Temple?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Monju Festival (\u6587\u6b8a\u796d) is a Buddhist memorial service held every January 25 at Jorakuji Temple (\u5e38\u697d\u5bfa)<\/a> in Ofuna (\u5927\u8239). On this day only, the temple opens the Monjudo Hall (\u6587\u6b8a\u5802) to unveil its hidden statue, the wooden seated Monju Bosatsu (\u6728\u9020\u6587\u6b8a\u83e9\u85a9\u5750\u50cf), and holds a service in its honor. Monju Bosatsu (Manjusri) is the Buddhist deity of wisdom, and families praying for success in their studies and entrance exams typically come to pay their respects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Illustrated
The illustration is for reference only<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Date and Time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The service typically begins at 14:00. It is held on January 25 every year, regardless of the day of the week. On the evening before, January 24, an eve festival (\u5bb5\u796d) is held, typically starting at 18:00.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlights: Sutra Reading by Monks from Kenchoji Temple<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many monks come from Kenchoji Temple (\u5efa\u9577\u5bfa)<\/a> for this grand service. More than ten monks enter the small Monjudo Hall and sit inside and along its veranda to perform tendoku (\u8ee2\u8aad), a ritual reading of the Great Wisdom Sutra (\u5927\u822c\u82e5\u7d4c) in which each folded sutra book is fanned open from side to side. The chanting echoes through the temple grounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On festival day, banners reading “Monju Daibosatsu” line the approach, and curtains are hung on the Main Gate and the Monjudo Hall. The Main Gate, normally kept closed, is opened for the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hidden Statue of Monju Bosatsu<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The seated Monju Bosatsu is a Kanagawa Prefecture Important Cultural Property from the Kamakura period, holding a nyoi scepter in its right hand and a sutra scroll in its left. Its head is said to have been brought from Song China by the temple’s founding priest, Daikaku Zenji (\u5927\u899a\u7985\u5e2b), also known as Rankei Doryu (\u862d\u6e13\u9053\u9686). The doors stay closed the rest of the year, and the statue is unveiled only on the festival day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viewing Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Visitors gather in front of the Monjudo Hall and between the Monjudo Hall and the Buddha Hall to watch the service. The hall itself cannot be entered, so the statue cannot be seen up close, and it is hard to see from outside. Admission is by donation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Jorakuji Temple<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Jorakuji Temple is a Rinzai Zen temple of the Kenchoji school that began as a hall built by Hojo Yasutoki (\u5317\u6761\u6cf0\u6642), the third regent of the Kamakura shogunate. The thatched Monjudo Hall was moved here in the early Meiji period from Eishoji Temple (\u82f1\u52dd\u5bfa)<\/a> in Ogigayatsu (\u6247\u30ac\u8c37). The grounds also hold the Buddha Hall and a stone monument said to be Yasutoki’s grave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access: Visiting During Your Stay at Toshi’s Place<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Jorakuji Temple is about a 15-minute walk from the east exit of JR Ofuna Station (\u5927\u8239\u99c5). You can also take a bus from Ofuna Station to the “Jorakuji” bus stop. From Toshi’s Place, take the Enoden Line from Hase Station (\u9577\u8c37\u99c5) or Wadazuka Station (\u548c\u7530\u585a\u99c5) to Kamakura Station (\u938c\u5009\u99c5), then the JR Yokosuka Line to Ofuna Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the same day, January 25, the Hatsu-Tenjin Festival and Fude Kuyo Brush Memorial<\/a> is held at Egara Tenjin Shrine (\u834f\u67c4\u5929\u795e\u793e)<\/a> in Nikaido (\u4e8c\u968e\u5802). Both are events connected with learning. Toshi’s Place, a fully unstaffed smart hotel offering room-only stays with a fully equipped kitchen, lets you explore Kamakura at your own pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Monju Festival at Jorakuji Temple is a once-a-year service in which the hidden statue of Monju Bosatsu is unveiled and monks from Kenchoji Temple perform a ritual reading of the Great Wisdom Sutra. For the temple’s highlights throughout the year, see Jorakuji Temple<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basic Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Item<\/th>Details<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Name<\/td>Monju Festival (\u6587\u6b8a\u796d)<\/td><\/tr>
Date<\/td>January 25 every year (eve festival on the evening of January 24)<\/td><\/tr>
Time<\/td>Typically from 14:00 (eve festival typically from 18:00)<\/td><\/tr>
Venue<\/td>Jorakuji Temple (Monjudo Hall)<\/td><\/tr>
Address<\/td>5-8-29 Ofuna, Kamakura, Kanagawa<\/td><\/tr>
Program<\/td>Unveiling of the hidden wooden seated Monju Bosatsu; ritual reading of the Great Wisdom Sutra by monks from Kenchoji Temple<\/td><\/tr>
Admission<\/td>The hall cannot be entered. Admission by donation<\/td><\/tr>
Access<\/td>About 15 minutes on foot from the east exit of JR Ofuna Station<\/td><\/tr>
Contact<\/td>Jorakuji Temple +81-467-46-5735<\/td><\/tr>
Reference<\/td>Monju Festival (Kamakura City Tourist Association, Japanese)<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Google Map<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n<\/iframe>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is the Monju Festival at Jorakuji Temple? The Monju Festival (\u6587\u6b8a\u796d) is a Buddhist memorial service held every January 25 at Jorakuji Temple (\u5e38\u697d\u5bfa) in Ofuna (\u5927\u8239). On this day only, the temple opens the Monjudo Hall (\u6587\u6b8a\u5802) to unveil its hidden statue, the wooden seated Monju Bosatsu (\u6728\u9020\u6587\u6b8a\u83e9\u85a9\u5750\u50cf), and holds a service in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":29320,"parent":29215,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page__event.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"kamakura_cuisine":[],"class_list":["post-29232","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t