Stunning themed floral fonts at Saimyouji Temple

The latest information in English on the web for LGBTQ+ friendly, discrimination free 800 year old Saimyouji, Kawagoe. Includes information for seasonally themed floral water fonts, temple illumination and other seasonal information.

LGBTQ+

A few months ago I accidentally caught a snippet of a TV report of a temple, Saimyouji, in Kawagoe performing same sex marriages. Only the second temple ever in all of Japan to openly promote LGBTQ+ weddings. The TV report was around the time that Kawagoe started offering same sex couples special “partnership certificates” that are said to be equivalent to marriage. Saitama City also offer the certificates and Sakado and Kitamoto will do from this month.

Saimyouji, Kawagoe

The temple is also known as Yokoyama Saimyouji, or Saimyoji or Saimyo / Saimyou Temple. Interestingly, Saimyouzi is the official English spelling of the temple.

I didn’t recognize the temple by sight and quickly forgot the name. I had assumed it was in the Arakawa area of Kawagoe where there are several temples I often pass, but haven’t had the chance to visit yet. Unrelated – or so I thought – this summer, photos on Instagram of beautiful seasonal floral water fonts at a temple in a rural area of Kawagoe piqued my attention. After finding it on google maps, I was keen to go as the temple isn’t that far from me and beside the Kawagoe Water Park where we sometimes play. Between one thing and another I didn’t get to go until October 2020.

Floral fonts

I had no idea the LGBTQ temple and the floral font temple were one and the same until I visited today. The first time I visited I was in the area for cosmos viewing and decided to take a quick detour to incorporate the floral fonts into my outing. As I approached the car park google maps was directing me to, I could see rainbow colored flags around the temple. I still didn’t make the connection. But once I got inside the grounds the penny finally dropped. An information stand beside one of the floral fonts by the entrance to the reception area of the temple was colored brightly with LGBTQ posters, leaflets and event flyers. And I finally realized that this was most likely the LGBTQ friendly temple I had glimpsed on TV all those months ago.

Discrimination free

When I got home, a quick search confirmed that this is indeed the temple that performs same sex weddings in Kawagoe. I even found one post by Tokyo Weekender in English, about the very interesting and open minded priest, Akihiro Senda. Father Senda is the 57th chief priest of Saimyou Temple. The thing that stood out most to me from his interview is that he doesn’t just want the temple to be discrimination free, he is working hard to make it that way. He welcomes people of all walks of life, regardless of race, religion or any other reason. I am also impressed by the work he is doing in and for the community. For example, raising awareness about various social issues and extending a hand to those in need.

In order to attract people to the temple the priest Senda introduced two temple mascots. The characters appear on temple merchandise and promotional material. They are even on the vending machine on the grounds. Furthermore, on the grounds of the temple there is a photo prop with the temple mascots. You can put your own face in for a memorable photo! The floral fonts, which change regularly with the seasons, also work to attract and relax new visitors.

Events

There are several annual events at the temple to foster community and simultaneously create awareness about various social issues.

Temple light up

They light up the temple up in rainbow colors for national coming out day. The temple is lit up in one color of the rainbow from 5 pm to 11 pm for national coming out day. It changes color every hour, working through six colors of the rainbow from red (first) to purple (last). They also light the temple up pink in October for pink ribbon month and blue during the Autism Awareness month in April. In March 2023, they are light up the temple red in support of Turkey and Syria. Information for that event in English here.

Saimyouji Pink Ribbon Month

October is Pink Ribbon Month at the temple. In 2020 they gave away free pink ribbon stickers in the temple’s characters motif. In 2021 they have partnered with J Posh, a NPO, for the pink ribbon festival. They have some goods by the the entrance to the temple’s office including a free information booklet about Buddhism. In 2020, the pink ribbon festival was only on until October 28th. However, since 2021, the pink ribbon festival is on everyday. For the occasion, the large hanachozu has a pink ribbon in the floral display. Also, another display has pink ribbons hanging above it. Furthermore, the temple is lit up pink every (dry) night from October 1s to October 30th 2022, from 6 pm to 9 pm.

In 2022, they also have a pink ribbon marche on Monday (public holiday) October 10th from 11 am to 4 pm. That night, they will also have a pink lantern festival. Up to 50 people can participate, they are already accepting applications. You can apply and find more information on their Instagram account:

Seasonal flower fonts

The flower fonts in Saimyouji are not the type where you wash your hands. That is, they are purely for decorative purposes. If you want to see a floral water font that is also a purifying font (chozuya) in Kawagoe, there is one at Hachimangu with a dragon head font.

When I wrote this post the theme of one of the floral water fonts was Christmas. And you could find items in the fonts representing either Christmas or the anime Demon Slayer. Update February 22nd: the current themes are Hina Matsuri (Dolls Festival) and Sailor Moon. In addition, there is a beautiful weeping plum blossom currently in bloom at the temple.

Kimetsu no Yaiba: Demon Slayer

Have you heard about the Kawagoe Temple with a Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) themed water font based on the anime Demon Slayer? It is so popular among the foreign community that it has been mentioned in English language newspapers. They started the Demon Slayer displays after the great success of the movie “Mugen Train” which opened in Japanese cinemas on October 26th.

The Kimetsu no Yaiba decoration is changed every Saturday. Sometimes they have special Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer) events too. Such as this visit from Inosuke Hashibira on December 12th 2020:

Update February 22nd 2021: the Kimetsu no Yaiba Demon Slayer themed fonts are now finished. However, in their place…

Sailor Moon Floral Fonts

Saimyouji is now running Sailor Moon Floral Fonts. I went to see the one that started on February 20th on February 22nd 2021:

Rurouni Kenshin Chozuya

Both the Kimetsu no Yaiba and Sailor Moon Floral fonts are finished. Now in May 2021 they have fonts depicting characters from Rurouni Kenshin. On May 25th that is Kenshin Himura and Makoto Shishio.

I am so glad that I finally made my way to see the floral font temple and serendipitously find the LGBTQ+ friendly temple. As I update this in autumn 2021, I can tell you I now visit Saimyouji at least once a month! If there is a question you’d like me to ask on my next visit – please do leave a comment!

In August of 2022, the floral water fonts / floating flowers are themed on Ghibli movies. The above photos were taken in the week (4th week of August) when the floral fonts were My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro). For the 5th week of August / start of September, the floral fonts are based on Whisper of the Heart.

Saimyoji Temple Information

Access

The temple is located on the east side of the Kawagoe Park. You can actually walk to the temple from the park via a side entrance by the east side of the lake in the park. Therefore, a bus to the park will also bring you to the temple! Buses bound for Kawagoe Suijo Koen – 川越水上公園 – go from Kawagoe Station. Nishi Kawagoe station, which is on the Kawagoe Line, is about an 11 minute walk from the temple.

If you are approaching the park with its main archway entrance in front of you, the temple is just on the right hand side. You can’t miss the rainbow colored flags. In order to get into temple by car though, you have to take a steep right turn then wind through narrow residential area roads. There is parking past the temple on the right hand side. Also easily identifiable thanks to the colored flags.