Hatsu-Kobo (First Kobo Market of the Year)

What Is Hatsu-Kobo?

January 21 is Hatsu-Kobo at Toji Temple (Kyo-o-gokokuji) in Kyoto. Every month on the 21st, Toji holds the Mieku memorial service in honor of Kobo Daishi Kukai, and the "Kobo-ichi" market fills the temple grounds with stalls. Hatsu-Kobo is the first of these temple fairs of the year.

From the Mieku Service to the Kobo Market

According to Toji, the Kobo market grew out of people gathering for the service honoring Kobo Daishi Kukai.

• The start of Mieku: The Mieku service began in 910 at Toji's Kanjoin hall.
• Services at the Mieido hall: In 1233, Kosho, a son of the sculptor Unkei, carved a statue of Kobo Daishi Kukai, and from 1240 the Mieku service was also held at the Mieido hall.
• From teahouses to a market: As people gathered for the service on the 21st of every month, teahouses selling a cup of tea for one sen opened. Eventually dumplings and everyday goods such as firewood, charcoal, and pots were sold as well, and over more than 700 years it became today's lively Kobo market.
• "Kobo-san" day: Over time, Kobo Daishi Kukai came to be affectionately called "Kobo-san," and the 21st became Kobo-san's day.

The Year's First Fair, with 1,000 Stalls

According to Kyoto City's official tourism website, 1,000 stalls selling antiques, local specialties, plants, gardening goods, pottery, and more line the grounds of Toji at Hatsu-Kobo, drawing more people than in other months. Toji holds the Mieku service at the Mieido hall at 10 a.m. on the 21st of every month, and on April 21 (the 21st day of the third month in the old calendar), when Kobo Daishi Kukai entered eternal meditation, it holds the Sho-Mieku service.

Tips for Marking This Day

• If you are in Kyoto, visit Hatsu-Kobo at Toji and look for hidden treasures
• Experience the atmosphere of the service honoring Kobo Daishi Kukai at the Mieido hall
• Look up temple fairs or morning markets held near you
• Learn about the life of Kobo Daishi Kukai through books or online

A "Kobo-san" Fair That Has Lasted More Than 700 Years

Hatsu-Kobo marks the start of the year for a temple fair that began with teahouses for people attending a service and grew into a large market over more than 700 years. Walking through grounds lined with everything from antiques to everyday goods, you can feel the atmosphere of "Kobo-san," long loved by the people of Kyoto. Why not visit a temple fair in the new year?