Admission
- Adult (18+)Free
Toshima, Tokyo Prefecture
At a Glance
Kogan-ji was founded in 1596, giving Togenuki Jizoson more than 400 years of history.
Visitors wash specific body parts on the Arai Kannon statue that match their ailments—if you have a headache, you wash the statue's head; back pain means washing the statue's back to seek healing.
The temple's nickname 'Togenuki' (thorn removal) comes from a legend where a maid who swallowed a needle safely coughed it up after eating a paper talisman bearing the Jizo deity's image.
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If you plan to pray for health or long life, this temple is especially known for illness-healing and longevity blessings.
Bring your own small towel or purchase one at the temple to participate in the Arai Kannon ritual, where you pour water over the statue and then rub the corresponding body part that ails you to seek healing.
After visiting the temple, explore the Sugamo Jizodori Shopping Street directly in front of the gate, known as the Harajuku for seniors, where you can find traditional Japanese sweets like daifuku and retro Japanese products among approximately 200 shops.
Include Arai Kannon in your visit plan, since it is specifically noted as one of the temple's famous attractions.
Purchase the osugata paper talisman bearing the image of Jizo deity at the temple shop, which you can apply to painful areas of your body or even ingest if you have a bone stuck in your throat, following the ancient legend of the swallowed needle.
Visit on the 4th, 14th, or 24th of each month when the temple holds special market days and the shopping street becomes particularly lively, though expect larger crowds during these times.
Wave the fragrant smoke from the large koro incense burner between the gate and main hall toward yourself, as this is a common purification practice at Japanese Buddhist temples believed to bring good health.
Facilities
The divine spirits venerated at this sacred place
What this place is believed to grant
Fascinating facts about this place
Kogan-ji was founded in 1596, giving Togenuki Jizoson more than 400 years of history.
Visitors wash specific body parts on the Arai Kannon statue that match their ailments—if you have a headache, you wash the statue's head; back pain means washing the statue's back to seek healing.
The temple's nickname 'Togenuki' (thorn removal) comes from a legend where a maid who swallowed a needle safely coughed it up after eating a paper talisman bearing the Jizo deity's image.
Though founded in 1596, the temple relocated to its current Sugamo location in 1891, making the present site over 130 years old while the temple itself dates back over 425 years.
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