How To Make the Strongest Wish: Shimanrokusennichi and Hozuki Flower Market at Senso-ji

Shimanrokusennichi at Senso-ji temple in Tokyo Asakusa is your chance to make the strongest wish possible.

It might be Friday the 13th and a full moon as I am writing this, but an extremely auspicious day is coming up in a few weeks. July 10 is Shimanrokusennichi 四万六千日 at Senso-ji temple in Asakusa.

Literally meaning the 46.000 Day, this is the day when one wish at the temple will be 46.000 times as strong as a wish made on a regular day. That is more than a lifetime of daily temple visits. So many people want to use this opportunity to make an extremely strong wish, that the temple holds the Shimanrokusennichi already from July 9.

During these two days, the temple grounds at Senso-ji temple look exceptionally strong and happy. Around the temple's red halls and gates small flower shops set up all selling bright orange Japanese lantern plants - hozuki ほおずき (physalis alkekengi). At the hozuki market ほおずき市, you can buy only the orange lanterns or complete potted plants for your home.

If you are in Tokyo on July 9 and 10, make sure to visit Asakusa. Good luck making that 46.000 day strong special wish. It might come true.

Hozuki flower market can be seen every night in some of the paintings on the roller shutters of the shops at Nakamise street at Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa.