The 13th Sugamo Ōdai Hana Matsuri to be Held from Monday, May 11th to Sunday, May 17th

Event poster for the "13th Sugamo Ōdai Hana Matsuri" (left) and the Ōdai Sazae-do Plaza during the 2024 "11th Sugamo Ōdai Hana Matsuri" Taisho University (President: Tomosumi Kōjin, Location: Toshima-ku, Tokyo) will hold the "13th Sugamo Ōdai Hana Matsuri" from Monday, May 11th to Sunday, May 17th, 2026. This annual event celebrates the birth of Buddha, decorating the university grounds and surrounding areas with seasonal flowers, adding color to the streets of Sugamo. On Wednesday, May 13th, a "Hana Matsuri Memorial Service" will be held simultaneously at Ōdai Sazae-do*1. Teachers and students belonging to the Chisan School of Shingon Buddhism, the presiding sect, will offer prayers for the happiness of the local community and seek the blessings of 'Seikan Jizai Bosatsu (Sugamo Ōdai Kannon)', the principal image of Ōdai Sazae-do. Events such as pouring sweet tea over Buddha statues and experiencing Buddhist scripture copying (shabutsu/shakyo) will also be held. The university is working to revive awareness of the history and culture of "Sugamo as a Seed Shop Street"*2, and the "Sugamo Ōdai Hana Matsuri" is one such initiative. By creating a flower-themed townscape inspired by Sugamo's past as a bustling seed shop street, the event contributes to enhancing the charm of the region. [Key Points] 1. The "Sugamo Ōdai Hana Matsuri" is an annual event held at Taisho University to celebrate the birth of Buddha, decorating the university grounds and surrounding areas with seasonal flowers. 2. Through efforts to revive the memory of Seed Shop Street, it contributes to fostering regional identity and enhancing the appeal of the region. 3. On Wednesday, May 13th, a "Hana Matsuri Memorial Service" will be held simultaneously. Events such as pouring sweet tea over Buddha statues and experiencing Buddhist scripture copying (shabutsu/shakyo) will also be held. The memorial service at the "12th Sugamo Ōdai Hana Matsuri" held in 2025 (left) and a Dharma talk by a guiding teacher (faculty member). *1 Ōdai Sazae-do... Its official name is "Sugamo Ōdai Kannon-do". It is an octagonal, three-story hall built in 2013. The staircase inside is a double helix, with separate ascending and descending paths, reaching the top floor after three circuits. Its distinctive structure, resembling a turban shell ("sazae"), led to its popular name "Ōdai Sazae-do". Although many were built across Japan in the mid-Edo period, only a few exist today, making it extremely rare and a symbol of Taisho University. http://ohdai-sazaedo.jp/index.html *2 Seed Shop Street (Taneya-dori)... From the Edo period to pre-war times, the area along the Old Nakasendo Road from Sugamo northward to Takinogawa Sankenya (present-day Takinogawa 6-chome, Kita-ku) was known as "Seed Shop Street" due to the many seed wholesalers and retailers. Many traditional vegetable varieties bearing regional names, such as "Takinogawa Gobo" and "Takinogawa Carrot," existed, but with the changing times, seed shops declined, and the history of Seed Shop Street is gradually being forgotten. [Event Information] Period: Monday, May 11th to Sunday, May 17th, 2026 Flower Installation Locations: Taisho University campus (within Ōdai Sazae-do, Ōdai Sazae-do Plaza, South Gate Plaza) Koshinzuka Shōeikai Flower Pots Viewing Hours: Ōdai Sazae-do: Monday-Sunday, 9:00-17:00 Koshinzuka Shōeikai Flower Pots: No specific time Other: On Wednesday, May 13th, a "Hana Matsuri Memorial Service" will be held simultaneously. In addition to the memorial service, events such as pouring sweet tea over Buddha statues and Buddhist scripture copying (shabutsu/shakyo) will be held. : 12:40-13:00 (Ōdai Sazae-do) : 13:00-14:00 (in front of Ōdai Sazae-do) : 13:30-15:00 (1st floor, Building 3) *Participants in the memorial service will receive a single flower (first 50 people). *Participants in the shabutsu/shakyo experience will receive incense (first 30 people). *All events are within Taisho University campus. In case of rain, the memorial service will be held in Building 3. Taisho University Taisho University is a university jointly operated by the four founding sects: Tendai, Shingon Buzan, Shingon Chisan, and Jodo, as well as the Ji sect. The spirit of this collaboration is supported by the founding principle of "Practice of Wisdom and Compassion," established at its founding in Taisho 15 (1926). "Practice of Wisdom and Compassion" represents the way of life of a Bodhisattva in Buddhism, meaning "one who aims for the completion of their own training and the salvation of all beings." Based on this philosophy, the university promotes an educational vision "Becoming a Person of Four Qualities" rooted in the Buddhist spirit of . Building on its past achievements, the university regards its 100th anniversary in 2026 as a "Second Founding" and is expanding its educational and research activities. Official website: https://www.tais.ac.jp/