Kurayami Matsuri (Darkness Festival)

Kurayami Matsuri (Darkness Festival) also known as festival in the dark, is Okunitama Jinja shrine's annual big festival dating back to more than 1900 years. This grand Tokyo festival starts from May 3rd thru 6th and is called by different names. It is often, also referred as midnight darkness festival owing to its historic celebrations, when in the bygone years, the entire town turned off the lights at night during the festival.

This exuberant four-day festival gets a flying start with a horse race and has four horses racing in the darkness. The second day witnesses 21 floats with lanterns parading on the streets. Six in the evening when the hands of clock point in diametrically opposite directions, spectacular fireworks are fired off in the sky to signal the Six start of the carrying of the miniature shrines race. The race continues for as long as ix hours, until midnight when the first miniature shrine makes its goal. On the last day of the festival, the day celebration begin quite early, from four o'clock when the carriers put forth their final effort to bring it back to the shrine before the sun shines everywhere.

Highlights of Kurayami Matsuri (Darkness Festival) celebrated in Okunitama Jinja

  -   Fuchu Shinto music competition
  -   Komakurabe horse contest
  -   Hanging lantern contest
  -   Parade float contest
  -   Portable shrine parade phase I
  -   Portable shrine parade phase II
  -   Return of the portable shrines
  -   Plant fair

Okunitama Jinja is one of the oldest shrines in Tokyo, located in the heart of Fuchu City. The stately Zelkova trees that stand as guard to the entrance of the shrine and nearby are designated as national natural treasure. Surrounded by the luxuriant blessing of mother Nature, the shrine is a favored sanctuary for visitors, in search of mental peace and relaxation far from the maddening crowds.

The festival of Kurayami Matsuri attracts around 300,000 people every year to Okunitama Jinja. You could come too and experience the excitement of the festival for yourself.

Getting to Okunitama Jinja Shrine

  -   Get to Fuchu Station on the Keio Line and walk for about 3 minutes to reach Okunitama Jinja.
  -   Get to Fuchu-honmachi Station on the JR Line and walk for about 3 minutes to reach Okunitama Jinja.

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