{"id":29422,"date":"2026-11-11T19:40:38","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T10:40:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/?page_id=29422"},"modified":"2026-11-11T23:13:55","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T14:13:55","slug":"egara-tenjinsha-harikuyo","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/en\/kanazawa-kaido\/egara-tenjinsha-kamakura\/egara-tenjinsha-harikuyo\/","title":{"rendered":"Hari Kuyo Needle Memorial at Egara Tenjin Shrine (\u834f\u67c4\u5929\u795e\u793e)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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White plum blossoms before the worship hall of Egara Tenjin Shrine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Is Hari Kuyo at Egara Tenjin Shrine?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hari Kuyo (\u91dd\u4f9b\u990a), the needle memorial at Egara Tenjin Shrine (\u834f\u67c4\u5929\u795e\u793e)<\/a>, is held every year on February 8. It thanks the spirits of needles that have finished their work and prays for progress in sewing and other crafts. As a sign of the memorial, needles are pushed into soft tofu. The tofu is silken tofu made to order by a Kamakura tofu shop for this day. Anyone may take part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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

It is held on February 8 every year, whatever the day of the week. The ceremony usually starts at 10:30 in the haiden (\u62dd\u6bbf), the worship hall, and the special prayer (tokubetsu kito, \u7279\u5225\u7948\u7977) is available until around 16:00.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlights: Colorful Needles in White Tofu<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During the ceremony, people who have applied for the special prayer enter the worship hall and push their needles into the tofu inside. When the ceremony ends, a large block of tofu on a sanbo (\u4e09\u65b9), a wooden offering stand, is set in front of the offering box before the worship hall, and other visitors take turns adding their needles. Colorful marking pins stand out against the white tofu. Many people who work with needle and thread in Kamakura and nearby come to the memorial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around this time of year, the shrine’s plum trees are usually well into bloom, and the white Kodai Aojiku (\u53e4\u4ee3\u9752\u8ef8) plum to the left of the worship hall reaches its best. See Plum Blossoms at Egara Tenjin Shrine<\/a> for the shrine’s plum trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Offer Your Needles and Offering Fees<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is no limit on the type or number of needles, but each person may push only one needle into the tofu. The remaining needles are usually placed on the oshiki (\u6298\u6577), a wooden tray beside the tofu. Medical needles are usually not accepted. If you only push a needle into the tofu at the offering box, the offering fee (hatsuho-ryo, \u521d\u7a42\u6599) is whatever you wish to give. The special prayer costs 3,000 yen and includes a shrine talisman and an amulet. If you want the special prayer, you usually apply at the reception first on the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access: Getting There from Toshi’s Place<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From the east exit of JR Kamakura Station (\u938c\u5009\u99c5), take a Keikyu bus bound for Daitonomiya (\u5927\u5854\u5bae), get off at Tenjin-mae (\u5929\u795e\u524d), and walk about 3 minutes. From Toshi’s Place, take the Enoden (\u6c5f\u30ce\u96fb) from Hase Station (\u9577\u8c37\u99c5) or Wadazuka Station (\u548c\u7530\u585a\u99c5) to Kamakura Station and change to the bus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staying in Kamakura lets you reach the 10:30 ceremony without rushing. Toshi’s Place, an unstaffed smart hotel with a full kitchen (room only), lets you enjoy Kamakura at your own pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Hari Kuyo at Egara Tenjin Shrine thanks needles that have finished their work by pushing them into soft tofu, with prayers for better skills. For the shrine’s year-round highlights, see Egara Tenjin Shrine<\/a>. On January 25, the shrine also holds the Hatsu-Tenjin Festival and Fude Kuyo Brush Memorial<\/a> (\u521d\u5929\u795e\u796d\u30fb\u7b46\u4f9b\u990a), where worn-out brushes are burned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basic Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Item<\/th>Details<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Name<\/td>Hari Kuyo Needle Memorial (\u91dd\u4f9b\u990a)<\/td><\/tr>
Date<\/td>February 8 every year<\/td><\/tr>
Time<\/td>Usually from 10:30 (special prayer until around 16:00)<\/td><\/tr>
Venue<\/td>Egara Tenjin Shrine (worship hall and the area in front of it)<\/td><\/tr>
Address<\/td>74 Nikaido, Kamakura, Kanagawa<\/td><\/tr>
Program<\/td>Ceremony, needle memorial in tofu<\/td><\/tr>
Participation<\/td>Open to anyone. One needle per person in the tofu<\/td><\/tr>
Offering fee<\/td>Tofu at the offering box: at your discretion. Special prayer: 3,000 yen (talisman and amulet included)<\/td><\/tr>
Access<\/td>Keikyu bus bound for Daitonomiya from JR Kamakura Station east exit, get off at Tenjin-mae, about 3 minutes’ walk<\/td><\/tr>
Contact<\/td>Egara Tenjin Shrine +81-467-25-1772<\/td><\/tr>
Official website<\/td>Hari Kuyo (Egara Tenjin Shrine, 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 Hari Kuyo at Egara Tenjin Shrine? Hari Kuyo (\u91dd\u4f9b\u990a), the needle memorial at Egara Tenjin Shrine (\u834f\u67c4\u5929\u795e\u793e), is held every year on February 8. It thanks the spirits of needles that have finished their work and prays for progress in sewing and other crafts. As a sign of the memorial, needles are pushed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":29623,"parent":2980,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page__event.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"kamakura_cuisine":[],"class_list":["post-29422","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