The Lost Pilgrimage Road “Honmonji‐michi” – A Path of Faith Divided by Railways #37
The Vanished Lantern
Road to Honmonji
Tucked away
behind today’s quiet residential streets
lies a narrow alley
that once echoed with the footsteps
of countless pilgrims.
In the darkness,
lanterns swayed gently
as worshippers made their way
toward Ikegami Honmonji Temple (池上本門寺).
This path was known as “Honmonji‐michi (本門寺道),”
fondly called “Oneri Kaidō (御練街道)”
—the Processional Highway.
Why It Was Called
“Oneri Kaidō”
The name comes from the
dazzling mandō (lantern) processions
during the Oeshiki festival (お会式)
(October 10–13),
commemorating Nichiren (日蓮).
The road lit up like a sacred parade—
pilgrims advancing through the night
with glowing devotion.
Pilgrims From Kawasaki
to Ikegami
Many pilgrims came via Kawasaki Daishi (川崎大師),
a famous temple in Kawasaki City
founded in 1128
and known for warding off misfortune.
They crossed the Tama River (多摩川) by boat
and walked toward Honmonji
on this very path.
Even today,
Kawasaki Daishi attracts over 3 million visitors
during New Year.
It’s directly connected
to Rokugōdote Station (六郷土手駅)
via the Keikyu Line (京浜急行)—
the same station where Honmonji-michi begins.
(Source: Kamanishi (かまにし),
local community newsletter,
No. 51, March 1, 2014)
(also known as Heiken-ji 平間寺)
Where People and History Flowed
In Kitano Shrine
Why the Pilgrimage Path
Disappeared
Honmonji-michi gradually faded from memory
due to three main factors:
In 1872,
the very year Japan's first railway opened—
the Tokaido Line (JR東海道線) severed the road.
In 1899,
the Keihin Electric Railway (京浜急行電鉄)
and embankment relocation
erased its starting point.
Shift to Rail Travel
With the opening of Keihin Electric Railway
and JR Kamata Station (JR蒲田駅),
fewer people walked the full distance.
Religious and Social Change
The rise of nearby shrines
like Anamori Inari (穴守稲荷) (1885)
and evolving ideas of fortune
drew pilgrims to other destinations.
Yet Traces Remain
Though cut and faded,
remnants of the road endure—
an alley behind a sweet shop,
an old mound,
a street named after the pilgrimage.
Walking this path even today
reveals echoes of devotion,
hidden in the modern city.
Tracing the Lost Path
of Honmonji-michi
Let us follow the route from Rokugōdote Station
to Ikegami Honmonji, step by step.
once the gateway to the historic Honmonji‐michi.
1. Starting Point:
Baisen no Ito
Just to the left
after exiting Keikyu Rokugō‐dote Station
stands Baisen no Ito (梅泉の伊東),
a traditional Japanese sweets shop.
Next to it is a narrow 3‐meter alley,
which marks the old starting point
of Honmonji‐michi.
This path once led directly
to the Rokugo Ferry (六郷の渡し)
across the Tama River (多摩川).
quietly standing at the edge of a narrow alley
that holds centuries of history.
2. Lodging Houses
and Railway Underpass
Walk past old lodging houses
that once offered rooms for pilgrims,
where this group of hotels could be stayed
for around 2,000 yen.
Turn left at the Tokyo College of Technology Dormitory
and pass under the JR tracks.
Walk north along the tracks toward Kamata
until you reach
the Murata Manufacturing Tokyo Dormitory.
From this point,
the path is largely a straight shot
to the temple.
This section detours from the original path
due to the railway.
at the Tokyo College of Technology Dormitory,
and you'll see an underpass/railway bridge (guard).
3. Proud City
and Wataya Liquor Store
Continue through Proud City Ōta Rokugō.
On the left is CocoMeal Cafe (ココミイル),
known for fluffy pancakes.
On the right is Wataya Liquor Co. (綿屋酒販),
founded in 1892 (Meiji 25).
Pilgrims likely stopped here
for sake (酒) or rest.
This area also has historical significance,
as a kotorizuka—
a landmark mound that served as a boundary
and housed guardian deities—
once stood nearby,
with its name preserved
in the Michizuka (道塚) neighborhood.
(Source: Kamanishi (かまにし),
local community newsletter,
No. 51, March 1, 2014)
– A good place to take a break
along the old pilgrimage road.
The cozy-looking café invites a quiet pause.
The signboard tells the story of 130 years of history.
A must-visit for sake lovers.
To the left is the Kamata Train Depot.
4. The Six-Way Intersection
Its Fading Memories
Reach a six-way intersection.
On the left is oyako‐don Yamaka 1 (ヤマカ1),
serving a filling 300‐yen pork cutlet bowl
and a comforting oyako-don (chicken and egg bowl).
Cross Kanpachi‐dōri Avenue (環八通り) [R311]
and find traces of the
former Honmonji-michi Station (本門寺道駅)
on the long-defunct
Tokyu Mekama Line (東急目蒲線).
Closed during WWII,
its memory lives on in local schools
named Michizuka.
– Serving filling oyako-don and pork cutlet bowls.
Great for anyone feeling hungry on the road.
Honmonji‐michi (Michizuka) Station (Estimated),
with the present-day Tokyu Tamagawa Line in the background.
This station was named after Honmonji-michi.
5. From Hasunuma to Ikegami
Near Hasunuma Station (東急池上線蓮沼駅),
the path crosses Tama Embankment Street
(R11 多摩堤通り)
and continues beside the Ikegami Line
toward the temple.
As the rail line curves,
the pilgrimage road splits off
and continues straight.
the Tōkyu Tamagawa Line.
After crossing, turn left.
continue along the road.
for a while.
9. Final Approach
to Honmonji Temple
Passing Ikegami 5‐Chōme Park (池上五丁目公園)
and the former TEPCO building (東京電力),
the path meets another pilgrimage road.
A stone pillar marked Honmonji Sandō (本門寺参道)
stands at the convergence.
Nearby, Ikedaya (池田屋),
a sweets shop from the Genroku Era (~元禄 700),
is run by its 18th‐generation owner.
Its specialty is kuzumochi (久寿餅)—
a fermented wheat-starch treat
served with syrup and roasted soy flour.
With only a two‐day shelf life,
it’s best enjoyed fresh in-store,
especially during Oeshiki.
on your right.
(Ikegami-dōri 池上通り)
to merge onto the approach path
leading to a stone monument
marking the start of the sacred path.
features a red noren curtain,
with the kanji characters for “Kuzumochi”
written on it.
10. The “Ten” (天)
Shaped Intersection
At the heart of the old temple town,
four paths cross
like the kanji (漢字) for “ten” (天):
This unique crossroads represents
the convergence of people,
water, and faith.
(Source: Kamanishi (かまにし),
local community newsletter,
No. 51, March 1, 2014)
This annotated map
shows the old temple town’s unique crossroads,
where four historic routes converge,
resembling the kanji “ten” (天).
It symbolizes the convergence of people,
water, and faith.
11. Final Steps:
Yorozuya and the Stone Stairs
Beside Ikedaya is Yorozuya Sake Shop (萬屋酒店),
founded in 1875
and now a registered cultural property.
From here,
you can see the temple.
Cross the final bridge,
and ascend the 96 stone steps
to Honmonji’s main hall.
A Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan
(No. 13-0071),
preserving Meiji-era commercial heritage.
A stone monument
engraved with ‘Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō,’
the core chant of Nichiren Buddhism.
Just before Honmonji's main gate,
you'll find a stone statue of Doraemon inside.
Its origin remains a mystery.
Epilogue:
Walk the Sacred Road Again
In just one hour on foot,
you can retrace a path
once walked by thousands in prayer.
Though the lanterns are gone,
the spirit remains—
in alleys, stones, and sweets.
Why not walk it yourself
and find the city’s hidden faith
beneath your feet?
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