Antique & Flea Markets in Tokyo (Temples Flea Markets)
Arai Yakushi Temple Flea Market – 新井薬師アンティーク・フェア
The antique fair at Arai Yakushi Temple in Nakano-ku is held on the first Sunday of every month and hosts 50 to 80 shops. Arai Yakushi belongs to the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. The temple is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai (the healing Buddha). Generally, temples which enshrine the healing Buddha are called Yakushi (temple).
Photo credit: Andurinha, Ryan Mcbride
The formal name of the Arai Yakushi is Baishoin while it is more widely known as Arai Yakushi since it is located in Arai. The temple became popular when a prayer to the temple healed a serious eye disease of a daughter of the fifth Tokugawa shogun Ietada. Since then, Arai Yakushi has been believed by people as an eye-curing temple.
Where: 5-3-5 Arai, Nakano-ku, Tokyo
When: First Sunday every month (except February): 08:30 – 15:30 (website)
Number of booths: 50-80
Access to the Flea Market: 5 min. walk from Araiyakushi-mae Sta. on the Seibu-Shinjuku Line ・15 min. walk from Nakano Sta. (North Exit) on the JR Chuo Line
Review of Arai Yakushi Temple Flea Market on fleamapket.com
Nogi-Jinja Shrine Flea Market – 乃木神社骨董蚤の市
The flea market at Nogi-Jinja Shrine is held on the 4th Sunday of every month, from early morning to 3:30 p.m. and hosts around 40 antiques and flea market dealers. Due to the dense population of foreigners in this area (Akasaka and Roppongi), foreign visitors are often seen at this antique fair.
Nogi-Jinja Shrine is dedicated to General Maresuke Nogi (1840-1912). Nogi was a great soldier and a hero of the Meiji period. He commanded the imperial Army and took Port Arthur from Russia in 1905 at the same time he lost both his sons in the combat. On the day of the funeral of Emperor Meiji in 1912, he and his wife took their lives. He was one of the greatest heroes of Japan until before the World War II. The residence of Gen. Nogi, where he and his wife took their lives, remains in good condition on the grounds of the shrine.
Where: 8-11-27 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
When: 4th Sunday of the month (except November): 08:00 – 15:00 (website)
Number of booths: 40
Access to the Flea Market: 1 min. walk from Nogizaka Sta. (Exit 1) on Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
Review of Nogi-Jinja Shrine Flea Market on fleamapket.com
Yasukuni Shrine Flea Market – 靖国神社青空骨董市
The open-Air Antique Fair at Yasukuni Shrine is held every Sunday from sunrise to sunset with around 10-20 dealers coming from all over Japan.
Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The temple was founded by Emperor Meiji and commemorates anyone who had died in service of the Empire of Japan. Even though the Yasukuni Shrine flea market is not the most impressive of its kind in Tokyo, it is nonetheless entertaining if you are anyway going to visit the Yasukuni Shrine.
Where: 3-1-1 Kudankita, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
When: Sundays from sunrise to sunset (website)
Number of booths: 10-20
Access to the Flea Market: 5 min. walk from Kudanshita Sta. on the Tozai, Hanzomon and Toei Shinjuku Subway Lineｓ・10 min. walk from Iidabashi Sta. (West Exit) on the JR Chuo Line.
Review of Yasukuni Shrine Flea Market on fleamapket.com
Hanazono-Jinja Shrine Flea Market – 花園神社青空骨董市
The flea market at Hanazono Shrine is held every Sunday (except the days of the shrine festivals and Dec. 27 and Jan. 3) from early morning to 3 to 4 p.m. This flea market offers an interesting selection of antiques ranging from small furniture to collectibles like old coins. The Antique Fair is held 2 to 3 times each month on Sundays.
Hanazono Shrine is the largest shrine in Shinjuku district and has been known as the guardian of Shinjuku. It was established during the Edo period. Today, the shrine is located near the red light district of Kabukicho. A feeling of out of place about the location of the shrine disappears when visitors enter the shrine compound – it is very quiet, as other shrines are, and does not fail to give people comfort.
Where: 5-17-3 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
When: Every Sunday from sunrise till sunset (canceled in events and rainy days, and not held during shrine festivals and Dec. 27th and Jan. 3rd) : 06:30 AM – 3:0 0PM (website)
Number of booths: 25-30
Access to the Flea Market: 3 min, walk from Shinjuku-sanchome Sta. on the Marunouchi and Toei Shinjuku Subway Lines ・7 min. walk from Shinjuku Sta. (East Exit) on the JR Yamanote and Chuo Lines.
Review of Hanazono-Jinja Shrine Flea Market on fleamapket.com
Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine Flea Market – 富岡八幡宮骨董市
The Antique Fair at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine in Fukagawa, Koto-ku is held every month on the 4th & 5th Sundays (except Dec. 27 and Jan. 3) from 6 am to 3 pm and host around 50-80 sellers showcasing a broad selection of Japanese antiques from plates to kimono.
Tomioka Hachimangu is the largest Hachiman shrine in Tokyo. It was founded in 1627 in honor of the emperor Ojin (died in 310AD) who was deified as the God of War. Tomioka Hachimanis festival in mid-August is counted as one of the three great festivals in Tokyo.
The shrine is strongly associated with sumo. During the Edo era, the shrine was the official venue for sumo, and tournaments were held every spring and winter. The shrine is also proud of its “ichi-no-miya” mikoshi which is the biggest in Kanto and gorgeous – decorated with diamonds. Since the mikoshi is so heavy that it was only carried when it was brought in the shrine. The mikoshi is housed in the building and is displayed to visitors.
Where: 1-20-3 Tomioka, Koto-ku, Tokyo
When: Every Sunday (except 3rd Sunday of the month): 08:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Antique Market: 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th Sunday of the month, from sunrise to sunset: 08:00 AM – 3:30 PM / Flea Market: 15th and 28th of the month: 08:00 AM – 3:30 PM (website)
Number of booths: 50-80
Access to the Flea Market: 3 min. walk from Monzen-Nakacho Sta. on the Tozai and Toei Ooedo Subway Lines.
Review of Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine Flea Market on fleamapket.com
Gokokuji Antique Fair (Bunkyo-ku) – 護国寺骨董市
The Antique Fair at Gokokuji Temple is held on the second Saturday of the month. This flea market gathers around 25-40 dealers from early morning to 4 p.m. Travelers who are looking for typical Japanese items to bring back home, generally have a great deal of fun at the Gokokuji Antique Fair.
Generally speaking, a trip to a Japanese flea market offers a good opportunity to learn about a different culture and history. The Gokokuji Antique Fair used to be very busy until recently, as the number of vendors and shoppers visiting the flea market, seems to have dropped over the past year.
The temple was built at the wish of Keishoin the mother of the fifth shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi in 1681. Its main hall is the oldest wooden temple building in Tokyo which survived the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 and WWII. It is worth seeing.
Where: 5-40-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
When: Every 2nd Saturday of the month: 07:00 – 15:00 (website)
Number of booths: 25-40
Access to the Flea Market: 1 min. walk from Gokokuji Sta. on the Yurakucho Subway Line.
Review of Gokokuji Temple Flea Market on fleamapket.com
Takahata Fudoson Temple Flea Market – 高幡不動ござれ市
The Takahata Fudo Antique Fair is held on the third Sunday of the month. This flea market gathers around 120 antique dealers from early morning to 4 pm
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 designated Important Cultural Assets. In the hall of the five-story pagoda, there are Kobo Daishi (founder of Shingon sect) and 1000 Jizo Statues (sentai Jizoo).
Where: 733 Takahata, Hino-shi, Tokyo,
When: Every 3rd Sunday of the month: 07:00 – 15:00 (website)
Number of booths: 120
Access to Flea Market: 5 min. walk from Takahatafudo Sta. on Keio Line
Review of Takahata Fudoson Temple Flea Market on fleamapket.com
