Takahata Fudoson Temple – 高幡不動ござれ市

The Takahata Fudo Antique Fair is held once a month on the premises of the Takahata Fudoson Temple. This flea market gathers around 120 antiques dealers from Tokyo and nearby cities, and showcases a nice selection of traditional Japanese antiques. From porcelain tableware to vintage Kimonos, 1940s furniture and traditional decor items, the Takahata Fudo Antique Fair is a great venue to go antiques shopping in Tokyo.

The Takahata Fudo Antique market is composed of a myriad of tiny shops located along the main approach to the shrine, and behind the buildings and down side streets. There are even stalls comprised simply of small bowls lined up on mats spread across stone stairs.

The Takahata Fudoson Temple hosts two separate monthly events dedicated to second-hand items and antiques: the first one on the second Sunday of the month is more like a swap meet where you can find various second hand objects. The second one, known as Gozare market, is held on the third Sunday of the month and is an antiques market. The “Gozare” part of the market’s name means “as long as it’s old then anything goes.” In addition to antique ceramics, porcelain, kimonos, drawings, Kokeshi, Netsuke, old furniture, and antique clocks, the Takahata Fudo Antique market also showcases many items that even Japanese people have no idea what they might be used for.

Takahata Fudo Temple, located in Hino City in the western suburbs of Tokyo, belongs to the Shingon Sect of Japanese Buddhism. The temple is counted among the Kanto region’s three major temples dedicated to Fudo Myoo (Acala Vidyaraja). The temple includes a lot of cultural assets, some of which are designated as Important Cultural Assets. In the hall of five-story pagoda, there is Kobo Daishi (founder of Shingon sect) and 1000 Jizo Statues (sentai Jizoo).

Even though it is geographically a little bit set apart from the other flea markets in Tokyo (westward of the city), the Takahata Fudo Antique Fair is worth the trip. It is also fairly well connected to the public transport network (5 min walk from Takahata Fudo Stn. on Keio Line).