Visit Takahata-Fudo in Hino with a local guide and dive into the history of the Shinsengumi led by Hijikata Toshizo

Hino is the birthplace of Hijikata Toshizo, the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi, a special police force loyal to the Tokugawa shogunate. Start your walk from Takahatafudo Station and explore historic sites, where you can get a sense of the era in which he lived.
Enjoy a guided walk with a local guide or try Japanese sword fighting while wearing a Dandara Haori, the distinctive coat worn by Shinsengumi warriors. These hands-on experiences let you feel the world of the Shinsengumi more vividly.

(1) Step into the world of the Shinsengumi with a local guide

Start your journey in Hino with a stroll from Takahatafudo Station on the Keio Line.
Consider walking with a local guide to make the walk even more enjoyable. Guides from the Hino Shinsengumi Guide Association share anecdotes about the area and stories of people connected to the Shinsengumi, offering a deeper look into its history.
(Fee and advance reservation required. Some requests may not be accommodated.)

* To make a reservation, please contact the Hino City Tourism Association.

A guided tour led by the Hino Shinsengumi Guide Association

(8 minutes on foot)

(2) Takahata-Fudoson Kongoji Temple

Takahata-Fudoson Kongoji Temple houses a Buddhist mortuary tablet for Hijikata Toshizo and a large memorial tablet dedicated to the Shinsengumi warriors. A statue of Hijikata also stands within the temple grounds, and various Shinsengumi-related materials are displayed in the Inner Hall. According to local anecdotes, Hijikata once played in these very grounds as a child, even throwing eggs at visitors.

Takahata-Fudoson Kongoji Temple, one of the Three Great Fudo Temples of the Kanto Region

Five-story pagoda

* Access from Takahata-Fudoson Kongoji Temple to Hijikata Toshizo Museum
(Approx. 16 minutes total walk + train + walk)

(3) Hijikata Toshizo Museum

The Hijikata Toshizo Museum stands on the site of his childhood home. A descendent of Hijikata serves as the museum’s director today. Through exhibits featuring his personal belongings, including letters, visitors can learn about him not only as the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi but also as an individual.

Hijikata Toshizo Museum

Hours: 12:00-16:00 (first and third Sundays only); Admission: 800 yen
(Other special opening days may be available. See the official website.)

Hijikata Toshizo Museum

At the entrance to the museum, a main pillar from Hijikata’s former family home is used as a beam, and it is said that he practiced sumo against it after his baths when he was a child.

A few times each year, a demonstration of the Tennen Rishin-ryu school of swordsmanship is held in the inner garden. Tennen Rishin-ryu, a school that spread throughout the Tama region in the late Edo period, served as a spiritual and technical backbone for the Shinsengumi.

At the Hino Dojo inside the Inoue Genzaburo Museum, workshops offering hands-on experience in Tennen Rishin-ryu swordsmanship are held (Advance reservation and fee required). Visitors can rent training uniforms and the Dandara Haori coat, allowing them to dive into the world of the Shinsengumi.

Inoue Genzaburo Museum

From Hijikata Toshizo Museum to Sekidenji Temple
(8 minutes on foot)

(4) Sekidenji Temple

Sekidenji Temple * Please refrain from visiting by car.

Your walk ends at Sekidenji Temple, the resting place of Hijikata Toshizo.
As you explore these historic sites and learn about the era in which Hijikata lived, you will sense how deeply the people of Hino remain connected to his legacy, passing down his stories through generations.