On Sunday, October 18, Hitohata Co., Ltd. announced that the temple treasure "Sensoji Kanbun Engi Emaki," Volume 1, will be displayed in person at the "Sensoji Scenic Site Denboin Garden / Ema-do Special Viewing." The event runs for five days, from Friday, October 30 to Tuesday, November 3 (holiday), 2026.
It is an event where you tour the garden and the ema hall, normally closed to the public, and appreciate the garden's design and the paintings. The ema hall, where you can view the handscroll, is open 9:00 to 16:00, with last entry at 15:30. The hours differ from those of the garden's evening viewing.
Tracing the Founding of Sensoji Through a Handscroll From 1662
The "Sensoji Kanbun Engi Emaki," owned by Sensoji, is a six-volume handscroll painted by Kano Ujinobu in the second year of Kanbun (1662). Volume 1, which will be displayed, depicts the origin of Sensoji's founding, including the scene where a statue of Kannon was caught in the net of the brothers Hinokuma no Hamanari and Takenari as they fished in the Miyato River (now the Sumida River).
In addition, a reproduction of the part corresponding to the "Kannon Sutra" from the National Treasure "Lotus Sutra (with its Opening and Closing Sutras)" (Sensoji Sutra), in 10 volumes in all, will be shown without a display case. This is not a display of the original.
About 50 Large Ema and the Sea of Clouds and Dance in Denboin Garden
The ema hall houses about 50 large ema painted by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Hasegawa Settan, Henmi (Kano) Kazunobu and others. During your visit, you can use an audio guide on your own smartphone.
In the scenic Denboin Garden, a sea-of-clouds effect of about 10 minutes is staged about once every 30 minutes between 9:00 and 20:30. In the evening program "Kinryu Yakai," the garden is lit up from 17:00 to 21:00, and an original dance of about 5 minutes, inspired by Sensoji's temple dance "Kinryu no Mai," is performed outside the ema hall. The dance is held every 30 minutes from 17:00 to 20:00.
* The garden photos are a record from the 2025 event. They do not show the scenery or the state of the autumn leaves during the 2026 period.
Advance and Day-of Prices for the Special Viewing and Tickets With a Catalog
Tickets are for a specified date and are valid for both daytime and evening. Re-entry is allowed only on the specified day. Advance tickets are on sale until 23:59 on Thursday, October 29, and the prices are as follows.
- Adult (high school and older), Special Viewing: Advance ¥2,300 (tax included) / Day-of ¥2,500 (tax included)
- Elementary and junior high school students, Special Viewing: Advance ¥800 (tax included) / Day-of ¥1,000 (tax included)
- Adult (high school and older), Special Viewing With Ema Catalog: Advance ¥3,800 (tax included) / Day-of ¥4,000 (tax included)
- Elementary and junior high school students, Special Viewing With Ema Catalog: Advance ¥2,300 (tax included) / Day-of ¥2,500 (tax included)
Preschool children are free. Tickets with a catalog are limited in number and sold only through Ticket Pia, ASOVIEW! and JTB Experiences, Play & Leisure Ticket Reservations. You receive the catalog "Sensoji's Ema," which explains the main ema, at entry on the day.
There is an upper limit to the number sold each day, and day-of tickets are sold only in the number remaining after advance sales. When the planned number is reached, sales for that day end. Refunds and ticket type changes for the purchaser's convenience are not possible, and if the event is held, there are no refunds for natural disasters or transportation troubles either. You may be asked to show something that proves your age, such as a student ID, at entry.
The discount ticket for persons with disabilities is the same for advance and day-of purchase: ¥2,100 (tax included) for adults and ¥600 (tax included) for elementary and junior high school students. It applies to the holder of a physical disability certificate, Ai no Techo, rehabilitation certificate, mental disability health and welfare certificate or atomic bomb survivor's health certificate, plus one companion, and "Mirairo ID" can also be used. Sales are limited to JTB Experiences, Play & Leisure Ticket Reservations and Webket.
Regular tickets are available online and also at convenience stores and some shops. Purchase links for each seller and ticket type are listed in the official ticket guide for the special viewing. System usage fees and ticket issuing fees may apply, and handling hours differ by shop. On-site sales on the day are available from 9:00 to 20:30 each day.
Sensoji Special Viewing: Dates, Venue and Participation Conditions
- Name: Sensoji Scenic Site Denboin Garden / Ema-do Special Viewing
- Period: Friday, October 30 to Tuesday, November 3 (holiday), 2026
- Hours: Ema hall and handscroll display 9:00 to 16:00 (last entry 15:30) / Denboin Garden 9:00 to 21:00 (last entry 20:30)
- Venue: Sensoji Denboin Garden / Ema-do. The reception and entrance are near Okuyama Gate on the north side of Denboin Garden
- Address: 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
- Access: About a 5-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Tobu Skytree Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tsukuba Express and Toei Asakusa Line (Exit A4 for the Toei Asakusa Line). Sensoji has no parking lot
- Tickets: Specified date, valid for both daytime and evening. Advance tickets are sold, along with day-of tickets according to the remaining number each day
- Organizer: Asakusa Culture & Lights Executive Committee
If you use the audio guide, you need your own smartphone and earphones. There is no Wi-Fi at the venue, and data charges are the user's responsibility. Guide devices and chargers are not available for loan. Playback through a speaker is not allowed.
You may take photos in the garden, but you may not use auxiliary equipment such as tripods and selfie sticks. Photography is prohibited in the ema hall. The garden has gravel and stepping stones, and the ema hall has stairs and steps; there is no barrier-free access or ramp. Entry may be restricted when it is crowded.
The projection mapping on the main hall and Hozomon Gate, held at the same time, runs from 18:00 to 21:30 and is a separate program that is free to view and requires no advance registration. It is projected even in rain, but may be suspended or canceled temporarily in severe weather.
Image: courtesy of Hitohata Co., Ltd.
