Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple Tours: Night Concert & Early Morning Temple Experience
My Experiences at Two Unique Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple Tours
Tsukiji is a popular town in Tokyo among international visitors, mainly because of the fish market. Even though the main fish market was relocated to Toyosu, you can still see a vibrant market with lots of visitors, both local and international.
Another highly popular reason for people to visit this town is the fact that it has one of the most important Buddhist Temples in Japan. Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple is a temple that is deeply rooted in this town. This temple is not only a landmark but is rich in history and has a cultural and architectural importance that should be more known.
This amazing temple now offers two types of tours that offer a unique experience for those who are interested in this temple and Japanese culture in general. I had the opportunity to participate in both of these tours, so I will share my experience in this article! Hopefully, I can spark an interest in you.
<<Book Online: Premium Night Concert at Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple!>>
What is Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple?
Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple (築地本願寺), located in Tsukiji, Tokyo, is a unique Buddhist temple with a history dating back to the 17th century.
Unlike typical Japanese temples, it showcases an intriguing blend of traditional Buddhist architecture with distinct Indian and Western influences, making it stand out in Tokyo’s cityscape. This architectural uniqueness and its rich history mark it as an important cultural and religious site.
Foreign travelers should consider visiting Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple to admire its unusual design and to experience a serene atmosphere amidst the bustling city, offering a glimpse into Japan’s multifaceted religious and cultural heritage.
My Experiences at Two Unique Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple Tours
The different expressions this temple shows depending the time of the day
As I previously mentioned, I had the opportunity to take part in two unique tours that take place at Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple.
These tours are called “Premium Night Concert at Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple” and “Early Morning Buddhist Temple Experience at Tsukiji Hongwanji”. As the name of the tours suggests, the first one takes place at night while the other one starts early in the morning.
From here, let me share with you my experience with both of these tours.
Tour 1: Premium Night Concert at Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple
The first tour I got to be part of was the “Premium Night Concert” which consists of a night concert where you can experience the traditional Japanese Gagaku music. You will learn not only about the temple and its history but also about Gagaku and the instruments used for Gagaku.
This tour started at 7 pm. The instructions were to be in front of the temple at 6:45 pm so that the tour could start swiftly at 7 pm sharp.
Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple is located right next to ”Exit 1” of Tsukiji Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line). This makes it easy to access. It is also close to the fish market and all the shops and restaurants, so you can either go there directly from the train station or go there after having walked around the market.
Since most people visit Tsukiji in the morning, seeing the temple illuminated may surprise you. It is a stunning structure that has a very different expression from night to day.
At 6:45 pm, they guided us in the temple, to the waiting room on the basement floor. And at 7 pm, the orientation began. Our tour guide briefly explained about the temple as well as the concert schedule.
After the orientation, we were guided to the temple’s main hall where the concert takes place. Here, a video was shown with a more detailed explanation of the temple (its history as well as architectural/cultural importance) as well as an explanation of the musical instruments and the music that was going to be performed.
The first live performance was a Gagaku (雅楽) performance. Gagaku is a traditional form of Japanese classical music that has been performed at the imperial court for centuries. It’s known for its serene and ethereal sounds, often described as otherworldly. Since we got to listen to the explanation of the music as well as the instruments, we could appreciate the music in a deeper manner as opposed to listening without knowing the meaning of the music.
Next, there was a musical service performed by a larger group which was a surreal experience composed by the soothing music complemented by the great acoustics of the beautiful main hall.
Left: Hichiriki performance. Right: Pipe organ performance.
Then there was a performance of the Pipe organ which has an interesting history of its own. After the Pipe organ performance, there was a duet between the pipe organ and the Hichiriki (Gagaku instrument). This was an especially interesting duet that people wouldn’t think would match, but it did beautifully.
<<Book Online: Premium Night Concert at Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple!>>