Tokyo Stroll Supplement: Ōme

This page is for locations in the Ōme area of Tokyo. This city is not part of my book Tokyo Stroll.

For information on Tokyo Stroll and this web supplement see Tokyo Stroll Supplement home page

For users of the Organic Maps, Maps.Me and Google Maps apps the items below have bookmarks you can import into those apps to make navigation easier.
Instructions and links are on the Viewing Locations in Organic Maps, Maps.Me, Google Maps, or Google Earth page.

Ōme (青梅市, Ōme-shi)

The town of Ōme was formed in in 1889, in the Meiji Period, with the establishment of the modern municipality system. In 1951 it was merged with the villages of Kasumi and Chōfu and reclassified as a city. The mountains of Ōme are popular among hikers. The area is known for its various temples and shrines and several yokai stories the most famous being Lafcadio Hearn's "Yuki-onna" in his Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things. I've attempted to include all the places I could find in Ōme associated with yokai on this page. The geography of Ōme ranges from flat in the east to mountains in the west so be prepared for slopes and stairways depending on where you are.

Anrakuji (安楽寺)

A Shingon sect Buddhist temple said to date from the Wadō Era, January 708 - September 715, when Gyōki enshrined carvings of Gundari Myōō and Fudō Myōō. In the Kamakura Period Hatakeyama Shigetada enshrined a statue of Aizen Myōō on the orders of Minamoto no Yoritomo. During the sengoku jidai the temple fell into disrepair and the hondō was rebuilt in the mid 16th century. The present temple buildings date from the Edo Period, the hondō is roofed with copper plates. Several of the structures, such as the bell tower and main gate, are thatched roofed. The grounds have many peach trees which when they blossom make for fine viewing. The main image of the temple is one of Fudō Myōō, the entrance is on the south.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line). Take the bus for Urajukumachi, get off at "Nariki 1-chōme Jichikaikan-mae"

Baiganji (梅岩寺)

A Shingon Buddhist temple founded in the Chōtoku era (995-998) by the priest Kanchō. The temple was restored in the Eiroku era (1558-1569), it was uninhabited for some time before being expanded in the Bunka era (1804-1817). In 1857 a fire burned the main hall down, the current main hall dates from 1935. The main temple image is of the Bodhisattvā Kokūzō. The grounds include a statue of Kōbō Daishi, the posthumous name of Kūkai the founder of Shingon, and carvings of his footprints. Stepping on the footprints is said to give the same merit as a pilgrimage to the 88 temples of Shikoku. Also on the grounds are many other statues such as the North-facing Jizō which dates from 1785. There is also a statue of Enma the fearsome judge of the dead surrounded by over 100 statues of Jizō. However this Enma is considered a merciful one and people pray for safe childbirth here. Baiganji is also famous for two stunning weeping cherry trees. The first is in front of the main hall and over 150 years old, the other behind on the mountain's slope. In 1957 Ōme designated the one in front of the hall as a Natural Monument. Usually the trees bloom in early April attracting tourist to the temple. One of the services the temple offers is Tree Burial where the ashes are placed under the trees. This is popular among whose who desire a natural burial, have no heirs, or live alone. The temple also offers memorial services and the interment of ashes for pets.
PILGRIMAGE: This temple is number 46 of the 88 Tama Pilgrimage and 70 of the 88 New Shikoku Pilgrimage in Okutama.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: http://www.baiganji.net

Chimotoya (千本屋) for the description of this entry see the Mitakesan / Mt. Mitake area page.

Enmeiji (延命寺)

Founded in 1369 by a Zen monk this temple has the distinction of having never burned down in its long history. The main image of the temple is Shaka Nyorai and the main hall has some lovely ornate carvings here and there. During the Taishō Period (1912-1926) renovations added 269 painted ceiling panels with images of birds, landscapes, and flowers based on various famous poems. These were painted by 43 painters including such famous artists as Murata Tanryō, Otake Etsudō, Komuro Suiun, and Tanaka Anzanshi. In 1934 a five story wooden pagoda was added, Yakuyoke Kannon is enshrined in the pagoda and people pray here for protection from disaster. The grounds include Ōme Tenjin Shrine where people pray for academic success, there is a rare stone statue of Inui-Datsubaba, and Sumiyoshi Myōjin is enshrined as the guardian of the temple gate. There is also a hall devoted to Donryu shōnin, an early Edo Period monk who took in poor and abandoned children and raised them. People pray here for safe childbirth and successful child-rearing. Daikokuten of the Seven Lucky Gods is also enshrined at the temple.
FESTIVALS: The monthly temple festival is on the 8th, with the festival in April being the grand festival.
PILGRIMAGE: Ōme Shichifukujin for Daikokuten.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: http://ome7.tokyo/enmeiji/

Former Inaba Family Residence / Kyū Inaba ke Jūtaku (旧稲葉家住宅)

The former home located on the Ōmekaidō of a wealthy merchant family that also functioned a town elders in the Edo Period. Like many merchant house of the time the building had a dual function consisting of the shop with the residence behind it, and storehouses. Estimates of the age of the building place the construction in the late Edo Period. In 1979 the family donated the building to Ōme. Since 1981 a tangible folk cultural property of Tokyo.
CLOSED: Mondays, open Monday if it is a holiday and then closed on Tuesday.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: https://www.city.ome.tokyo.jp/site/provincial-history-museum/2730.html

Former Miyazaki Family Residence / Kyō Miyazaki ke Jūtaku (旧宮崎家住宅)

A family home that originally was from a mountainous part of Ōme. It is believed to have been built in the early 19th given the style of the building. In 1977 the building was donated to the city, moved to the present location in 1978 and restored. The roof is a style called mazebuki or torabuki and is unique to this part of Japan being comprised of alternating cedar bark and kaya reed thatch. In 1978 the Japanese government designated the farm house as an Important Cultural Property.
CLOSED: Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a public holiday) .
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: https://www.city.ome.tokyo.jp/site/provincial-history-museum/2729.html

Fukushima Family Residence / Fukushima-ka jūtaku (福島家住宅)

The home of the influential Fukushima family which was build in the mid 18th century. The family served as village headmen int he Edo Period. The food is covered with thatch and cedar bark. The garden is known for its azaleas which bloom int he spring. The building is a Tangible Cultural Property of Tokyo
NOTE: The building is not open to the public, enjoy viewing it from the street.
CLOSED: NNN.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Sawai Station (JR Ōme Line)

Gyokusenji (玉泉寺)

A Zen Buddhist temple founded in the Bunpō Era (February 1317 to April 1319) by Prince Morikuni, ninth Kamakura shōgun, and the Zen monk Kokuichi Zenshi Taiko Seigen Osho. The temple has suffered from many fires over the years. The main building was rebuilt in 1995. The main image is of Eleven-Headed Kannon. On the grounds there is the Aoishitōba, a stone tablet dating from 1288 inscribed with the Sanskrit character for the Amida Sanson. The tablet is the oldest of its kind in Ōme and is designated as a cultural property of the City. The temple also has a natural spring and pond in the garden next to the Benzaiten hall. The present moss and stone garden dates from 2018 and was designed by the husband and wife team of Fukatsu Shintarō and Horiuchi Chie of the Niwasho Fugen company. The couple studied in Kyoto under the master gardener Kitayama Yasuo.
PILGRIMAGE: Ōme Shichifukujin for Benten.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Higashi Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: https://ome-gyokusenji.tokyo

Hatakeyama Shigetada-zō / Statue of Hatakeyama Shigetada (畠山重忠 像) for the description of this entry see the Mitakesan / Mt. Mitake area page.

Higashibaba (東馬場) for the description of this entry see the Mitakesan / Mt. Mitake area page.

Hōmotsuden / Treasure Hall (宝物殿) for the description of this entry see the Mitakesan / Mt. Mitake area page.

Jizōin (地蔵院)

Founded in 1504 during the Bunmei Era (April 1469 through July 1487), in the An'ei era (November 1772 through March 1781) the main hall was rebuilt. The hall is called the Gokakudō as according to legend when the roof-laying ceremony was taking place five cranes flew up. The thatching on the roof was replaced with copper plates in 1977. The main gate of the temple is believed to date from the early 17th century. The original thatched roof has been replaced with copper plates. The main image is that of Jizō Bosatsu. There is also a statue of Hotei on the temple grounds in it's own small subtemple. Originally this statue was housed in the main hall next to the main image. Ashikaga Yoshiteru, the 13th Ashikaga Shōgun, donated to the temple as did Tokugawa Iemitsu, the 3rd Tokugawa shōgun. A rare variety of plum tree can be seen on the temple grounds which has bright red stems and sepals and white flowers. This particular tree is called the Hōju plum tree. The tree is sometimes referred to as the Garyū plum tree, Garyū means reclining dragon. There is also a natural spring on the grounds that has never stopped flowing, you can see freshwater crabs and snails in the water.
PILGRIMAGE: Ōme Shichifukujin for Hotei.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line), or take the bus and get off at the Hatanaka Jinja-mae stop.

Jōganji (乗願寺)

A Jishū sect Buddhist temple founded in 1300. Jōganji is located on a quiet forested hillside, just north of the JR Ōme Line tracks, from the temple gate you can look over the city.
ACCESS: From the south via a long stone stairway.
NOTES: There is a yōkai associated with Jōganji. This yōkai is Tenmaru who has been seen near the Sanmon gate. Tenmaru glides through the air and legend has it that it is either a disguised flying squirrel or marten.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Higashi Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)

Jōhoji (常保寺)

Founded in the Ōei Era (July 1394 - April 1428) as a Shingon Temple, later it was converted into a temple of the Kenchōji school of the Rinzai sect, it is a branch temple of Kenchōji in Kamakura. The main image is a statue of Shaka Nyorai, it is flanked by statues of Daigen Shuri Bosatsu and Bodhidharma. Just before the temple gate there is a group of Roku Jizō, six statues of Jizō each one for a different realm of existence. Near the cemetery entrance, with a wooden roof over it, is an unusual Jizō statue in the form of a manekineko beckoning cat, Namu myōhō renge kyō is inscribed on the back of the statue. The story behind the statue is that a man lost his beloved pet cat, carved the statue and donated it to the temple. There are stone lanterns on the grounds with the Tokugawa crest on them, these were originally from Zōjōji and are part of a group that was later given to temples in the Tokyo area after the land they were on became the location of the Tokyo Prince Hotel.
ACCESS: The main entrance is to the south
EVENTS:
Starting on January 15th a painting of a great nirvāṇa, parinirvāṇa, with a cat in the painting is exhibited for a month.
July 9th from 10 pm: the Great Segaki, "feeding the hungry ghosts," ceremony is performed at the Sanmon Gate.
CLOSED: Office closed Wednesdays and Thursdays, also possibly during special services.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: http://jyouhoji.jiin.com/

Kamanofuchi Park / Kamanofuchi Kōen (釜の淵公園)

A popular heavily forested park located on the Tamagawa where the river meanders so much that the park is surrounded by water on three sides. This is an popular place for fishing and swimming, be careful of the current which can be fast in places. The east side of the park has a long beach area, Abundant cherry blossoms can be enjoyed in the spring. The park also contains the Former Miyazaki Family Residence and the Ōme Municipal History Provincial Museum.
ACCESS: You can enter the park overland from the south or by pedestrian bridges on both the east and west sides.
NOTES: Take your garbage with you when you leave. No fires allowed.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)

Korisan (古狸山) for the description of this entry see the Mitakesan / Mt. Mitake area page.

Kushi Kanzashi Museum / Kushi Kanzashi Bijutsukan (櫛かんざし美術館)

Given the name you would think this spacious museum is devoted to Japanese combs and hairpins, actually much more than just that. Included are clothing, accessories and objects that related to them. The whole collection focuses on women's items made from a large variety of materials: glass, ceramic, metal, wood, tortoise shell and more. Many are carved with designs and can have inlay, gold leaf, and other embellishments. The museum is based on a collection that Okazaki Chiyō gathered over a 40 year period with more being added by the museum. Currently there are some 4,000 items in the collection mainly from the Edo and Shōwa Periods. The use of combs and hairpins in women's hairdos is presented using wigs. There is an observation hall and restaurant with large windows overlooking the Tamagawa. There is also a gift shop.
NOTES:
The museum is closed from Monday, May 29, 2023 until further notice.
The building was designed to be wheelchair accessible.
CLOSED: Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a public holiday).
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Sawai Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: http://kushikanzashi.jp

Meibakuin (明白院)

Founded in 1567 and rebuilt shortly later in 1570. The gate of the temple is in the Kirizuma style and dates from the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568 to 1600). This gate has been designated an Important Cultural Property of Ōme. It was not originally here but moved to this location in the Edo Period (1603–1868). The main image of the temple is of Shōgun Jizō, a version of Jizō that protects soldiers in battle and is usually depicted dressed in armor. On the grounds you will see the shōfuku no tanuki, a statue of a tanuki carrying a bale of rice. The story goes that a monk found the body of a tanuki along with rice and three small Fukurokuju figurines in the ceiling of a room. The statue was made as a memorial to pacify the spirit of the tanuki.
PILGRIMAGE: Ōme Shichifukujin for Fukurokuju
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Miyanohira Station (Ōme Line)

Mitake Tozan Kēburu / Mitake Tozan Cable (御岳登山ケーブル) for the description of this entry see the Mitakesan / Mt. Mitake area page.

Monshūin (聞修院)

A Zen Buddhist temple founded in the Tenbun Era (July 1532 through October 1555) by local resident Kurosawa Kuranosuke and the 3rd head monk of Tenneiji. In 1655 Tokugawa Iemitsu gave land to the temple to help support it. After two major fires a couple of years apart most of the temple burned down, the current main hall was dates from 1850 and many other buildings were rebuilt in the Meiji Era (October 23, 1868 - July 30, 1912). The main hall has a thatched roof in the style of a kayabuki farmhouse, the current roof was re-installed from 1999 to 2003 as thatched roofs have to be periodically replaced. The main statue, located in the center of the main hall, is of Amida Sanson, a triad of images consisting of Amida Nyorai, Kannon Bosatsu, and Seishi Bosatsu. This Amida Sanson dates from the mid-Kamakura Period (1185–1333) and is designated as a “Cultural Property of the City of Ōme. Records indicate it was given to the temple by the powerful Hōjō clan. Next to this is a statue of Jurōjin one of the Seven Lucky Gods. The temple has forested grounds next to the Kurosawa river and includes a spacious garden with a stream and koi pond, local deer sometimes come into the garden which is appropriate as the deer is associated with Jurōjin.
ACCESS: The main entrance is to the south east of the temple.
PILGRIMAGE: Ōme Shichifukujin for Jurōjin.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line) From here take the Tōei #74 bus to Kurosawa and get off at the Yanagawa bus stop. From there walk south to the temple. Do check the maps for the best walking route.
WEB: http://www.monsyuin.org/

Musashi Mitake Jinja (武藏御嶽神社) for the description of this entry see the Mitakesan / Mt. Mitake area page.

Ōme Municipal History Provincial Museum / Ōme kyōdo hakubutsukan (青梅市郷土博物館)

Located near the Tamagawa in Kamanofuchi Park this museum is devoted to materials related to the Ōme locality. Items in the museum include documents, folk tools, archaeological artifacts, and objects related to natural history. The special exhibition room changes exhibits four time a year. The permanent exhibit room has a variety of items from the Paleolithic Period to the present. Just north of the museum is the Former Miyazaki Family Residence.
CLOSED: Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a public holiday) .
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: https://www.city.ome.tokyo.jp/site/provincial-history-museum/

Oshi-shūraku, Oshi Village (御師集落) for the description of this entry see the Mitakesan / Mt. Mitake area page.

Ozawa Sake Brewery / Ozawa shuzō (小澤酒造)

Located in the Sawanoi area of Ōme this brewery was founded in 1702 in a valley surrounded by mountains and the nearby Tamagawa. This is the oldest sake brewery in the Tokyo area. They Brews a variety of different sake under the Sawanoi brand name. Tours are available by reservation with a sake tasting afterwards.
CLOSED: Mondays, open if Monday is a holiday then closed Tuesday.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Sawai Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: http://www.sawanoi-sake.com/en/

Seihōin (清宝院)

No records of when this Shingon Buddhist temple was established have survived due to fires. We do know it was originally it was called Aoyagiyama seihōin, in the Genroku Era (September 1688 - March 1704) it was rebuilt and restored. During the Bunsei Era (April 1818 - December 1830). The main gate was originally at Guncharimyōō Jizōin Kōenji Temple in Iruma City in Saitama and is believed to have been built near the end of the 18th century. The gate was moved to Seihōin in the late Edo Period. The main statue of the temple was transported from Naritasan Shinshōji after being divided into sections, carried to Seihōin on horseback and then reassembled. There also is an Ebisu statue here which is especially worshipped by woodworkers. One interesting legend is that is you go by the slope on the east side of Seihōin you may meet an ugly old woman who only has the upper half of her body. This is the Mujina Babaa, mujina is another word for tanuki, babaa is an insulting form of the word baba, old woman, this apparition is doubly spooky as it is said to be that of a dead tanuki.
ACCESS: The entrance is on the south
EVENTS:
February 3rd is Setsubun where beans are scattered to repel demons and bad luck.
August 15th has an event where yamabushi perform rituals and firewalking
PILGRIMAGE: Ōme Shichifukujin for Ebisu
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: https://ome7.tokyo/seihouin/

Shiofune Kannonji (別格本山 塩船観音寺)

A Shingon sect Buddhist temple which started as a building in the Taika Era, 645-650, for a thousand-armed Kannon statue. One legend states that the famous Yaobikuni was the founder. The Buddhist priest Gyōki reconstructed the temple in the Tempyō Era, 729-49. The local name Shiobune, ship riding tides, is also credited to him. In the Heian Period the temple was very prosperous. During the Kamakura and Muromachi Periods local samurai clans patronized the temple. The Nio Gate is believed to have been built in the Tenbun Era, 1532-55. The Amida Hall from the Muromachi Period was originally thatched but the rook was changed to copper in 1961. The Yakushi Hall and the Main hall are both thatched and believed to date from the Muromachi Period. The surrounding hills have 1,000-year-old cedar trees, the temple is famous for a garden with some 20,000 azaleas which start blooming in early April and early May depending on the variety. The garden was planted in the 1960s and the Shiofune Peace Kannon was added at the top of the garden in 2010 in celebration the 1,350th anniversary of the temple's founding.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Kabe Station (JR Ōme Line), walk from there or take the Bus to the Shiofune Kannon Iriguchi bus stop.
WEB: http://www.shiofunekannonji.or.jp/

Snow Woman Monument / Yuki onna en no ji (雪おんな縁の地)

A stone monument just to the left of the Chōfu Bridge (調布橋) as you are facing south. This marks the location of the legend that was adapted into the story "Yuki-Onna" by Koizumi Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn) which is contained in his book Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things and is included in the 1964 anthology movie Kwaidan.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)

Sōkenji (宗建寺)

The date of the temple founding is unknown, Sōkenji was originally a Jōdo-shū temple it was soon changed to a Rinzai Zen temple. The main image of the temple is a statue of Bishamonten, there is another statue of Bishamonten in the temple with a signature that indicates it was made by Kūkai. This statue is only shown to the public in January.
LOCAL DETAILS:
Shomen Kongō Kōshintō: South of the Benten pond you can see a rare type of round Kōshintō.
Urajuku Shichibee's grave (裏宿七兵衛の墓石): Shichibee was a farmer who would steal from the well to do merchants and samurai and share with those in need. He was eventually caught and executed north of Sōkenji, a local monk performed rites for him and established his grave. Nakazato Kaizan included him as a character in his book Daibosatsu Tōge, "Great Buddha Pass" which was made into the films Satan's Sword (1960) and The Sword of Doom (1966).
Azuki-babaa: A local legend speaks of the Azuki-babaa, the old woman who washes azuki beans. The sound of her doing this is said to be heard in a small stream to the east of the temple.
ACCESS: The entrance is from the east.
PILGRIMAGE: Ōme Shichifukujin for Bishamonten
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: https://soukenji.com/

Sumiyoshi Jinja (住吉神社)

Founded in 1369 and is located on a large forested hill, Sumiyoshi Jinja is the guardian shrine for Ōme. The worship hall has a dragon painting on the ceiling by the late Edo Period writer Kobayashi Ten'in who came from Ōme and elaborate carved wood ornamentation. The kami enshrined here are the Sumiyoshi sanjin, they are: Sokotsutsu no O no Mikoto, Nakatsutsu no O no Mikoto, and Uwatsutsu no O no Mikoto. Empress Jingū is also enshrined at Sumiyoshi Jinja.
NOTES:
Near the torii, on each side are unusual statues of Daikoku and Ebisu, they are unusual as these statues depict them as cats.
The ground has a brush mound, where used writing brushes from noted local writers are buried.
There is also a legend about The Wandering Monkey Doll. This monkey doll is used in the Ōme Grand Festival. The doll for various reasons was moved from place to place before finally returning to the shrine.
ACCESS: The entrance is from the south up a long stone stairway.
EVENTS:
April 28th, May 2nd and 3rd. The regular festival day is April 28th when rituals are performed at the shrine, this is followed by the Ōme Taisai, Ōme Grand Festival, with processions of 12 festival floats: on May 2nd, each float in its own neighborhood, and on the 3rd there is a parade of all of the floats together.
The 3rd Sunday of every month is the Ōme Crafts Ippai-Ichi, a crafts fair which also often has musical performances.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: http://www.tokyo-jinjacho.or.jp/nishitama/ome/5821/

Tennenji (天寧寺)

A Sōtō Zen Buddhist Temple founded as Kōhōji in the Tengyō Era (938-947). In the Bunki Era (1501-04) it was renamed as Tennenji. The present buildings date from the 16th and 18th century. The two story Sammon dates from 1759, the Chūjakumon inner gate from 1853, the monk quarters date from the late 17th to mid 18th century. The main hall is roofed with copper plates. The main image of the temple is of Shākyamuni Buddha. The grounds are forested and include a pond.
NOTE: Permission required in advance to photograph cultural properties, building interiors, graveyards, monks, and those involved in memorial services.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Higashi Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)
WEB: https://www.tenneiji.com

Tokyo Mitake Visitor Center / Tōkyōto Mitake bijitāsentā (東京都御岳ビジターセンター) for the description of this entry see the Mitakesan / Mt. Mitake area page.

Ubuyasusha (産安社) for the description of this entry see the Mitakesan / Mt. Mitake area page.

Wakako Bridge Monument / Wakakobashi no Ishibumi (稚子橋の碑)

A monument located at south east corner of the intersection of National Route 411 and Prefectural Route 5. The stream the bridge crossed in now culverted so you won't see flowing water. The yōkai associated with this bridge is the sound of a crying baby with no baby in sight. One local explanation for the crying is that impoverished families tossed babies they could not afford to raise into the river from the bridge.
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Ōme Station (JR Ōme Line)