Fukagawa Fudo-do is a temple dedicated to Fudo-myoo, the god of fire. As you approach the temple, you will notice the innovative mantra design in Sanskrit letters on the exterior wall of the Main Hall.

Inside the Main Hall, you will experience a mysterious fire ritual, known as the Goma Rite. It is a secret practice of "Shingon Esoteric Buddhism" to purify people's earthly desires with fire and pray for their wishes to be granted. In the ritual, wood offerings that represent people's earthly desires are burnt by the fire, which in turn represents the wisdom of the deity, Fudo-myoo. The powerful sounds of the chanted mantra, the Japanese drums and the conch shell trumpets make your experience all the more unique.

Also, if you have an interest in art, please enjoy the statues and paintings at the Buddhist art gallery in the Inner Hall.

Tomioka Hachimangu is a beautiful shrine with a history of over 350 years. It is dedicated to Hachiman god, the god of war.

You will find various monuments to the sumo wrestlers there, including the Monument to Grand Champions (Yokozuna), because this shrine is known as the birthplace of the professional sumo tournaments. At the end of the 17th century (in 1684), the very first sumo tournament for the purposes of fundraising for temples and shrines was held in the precinct of this shrine.

If you like Japanese festivals, you shouldn't miss the biggest and most elaborately decorated portable shrines in Japan, displayed at the side of the approach to the shrine. The Fukagawa Hachiman Festival, one of the three major festivals in Edo (the old name for Tokyo), is also held here.