When Is Hari-Kuyo 2026? | Tuesday, December 8th — Japan’s Memorial Day for Broken Needles

In 2026, Hari-Kuyo falls on Tuesday, December 8th at temples such as Hōrin-ji in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Some places, including Sensō-ji in Tokyo, hold it on February 8th instead (Monday, February 8th, 2027).

Hari-Kuyo means “a memorial service for needles.” It is a day to thank sewing needles that have broken, bent or rusted after years of work. People gently push their old needles into a soft block of tofu or konnyaku (a firm, jelly-like food made from a root vegetable), give thanks, and pray to keep sewing well.

Saying thank you to a tool. It sounds a little unusual, yet somehow it makes sense. Here is a gentle introduction for first-timers.

What this article covers

• When is Hari-Kuyo? Why there are two dates
• Why the needles go into tofu or konnyaku
• Koto-yōka, the “eighth days” when people put their work aside
• Awashima, the deity linked to needles, and how the custom spread (there is more than one theory)
• Hari-Kuyo at Hōrin-ji in Kyoto and Sensō-ji in Tokyo
• How to take part quietly, even if you never sew

When is Hari-Kuyo?

The day is either February 8th or December 8th. Some areas observe both dates; others choose just one.

According to the Britannica International Encyclopaedia (Japanese edition), western Japan (the Kansai region) and Kyushu mostly observe December 8th. Hōrin-ji in Kyoto holds services on both dates, while Sensō-ji in Tokyo holds its service on February 8th.

Neither date is the “right” one. People simply follow the temple or shrine near where they live. In haiku, hari-kuyo is a seasonal word for spring, which points to the February date.

Why tofu and konnyaku?

The classic image of Hari-Kuyo is a block of white tofu or a large slab of konnyaku, bristling with needles.

Hōrin-ji explains it this way: the needles have worked so hard, so we let them rest in something soft. After pushing through stiff cloth and leather again and again, a needle finally gets to lie down somewhere gentle. Once you know that, the sight feels a little different.

In some regions, people also wrapped old needles in paper and floated them down a river or out to sea, or left them at a shrine.

Koto-yōka: a day to put the needle down

February 8th and December 8th have long been known as koto-yōka, the “eighth days.” They were seen as days to stay home quietly and avoid work, a kind of day of abstinence.

Japanese encyclopedias suggest that resting from sewing on Hari-Kuyo may come from this idea. But they also note that there is no settled explanation of how koto-yōka and the needle memorial came together.

Either way, for people who held a needle almost every day, Hari-Kuyo was also the one day a year they put it down.

Awashima, and how the custom spread

A deity called Awashima often appears in the story. In many places, old needles are offered at Awashima shrines or at halls dedicated to Awashima.

In the Edo period (1603–1868), wandering preachers known as Awashima gannin traveled around Japan telling people about Awashima’s blessings. Sensō-ji says the custom of Hari-Kuyo likely grew popular at the temple under their influence.

Another view is that it took root from the late Edo period into the Meiji era (1868–1912), through sewing schools and similar places. No single story is settled; there are several theories about how it spread.

Hōrin-ji in Kyoto and Sensō-ji in Tokyo

At Hōrin-ji (Kokūzō Hōrin-ji) in Arashiyama, Kyoto, needle memorial services are held on February 8th and December 8th. The temple’s annual schedule lists the December service at 1 p.m. According to the temple, its Hari-Kuyo is said to have begun at an emperor’s command to honor needles used by the imperial household, and even today the December service includes needles entrusted by the imperial household.

Visitors push a large needle into a block of konnyaku as they pray. Used needles are accepted only on the day of the service, and medical needles such as syringes are not accepted.

At Sensō-ji in Tokyo, the Hari-Kuyō-e takes place on February 8th at the Awashima Hall. People push needles into tofu prepared inside the hall, and a service is held before the needle memorial tower on the temple grounds.

Times and details can change from year to year, so check each temple’s notice before you go.

Taking part quietly, even if you never sew

If you don’t sew, this may feel like someone else’s festival.

But at its heart, Hari-Kuyo is a very simple feeling: thanking the tools that have served you.

On December 8th, try picking up something you have used for a long time: a needle that once sewed a button back on, the pen you write with every day, a pair of worn-down shoes. Silently say, “Thank you for this year.” That alone is a small Hari-Kuyo.

If you visit a temple service, remember that every needle in the tofu or konnyaku is a tool someone used with care for a long time. Put your hands together, and watch quietly.

In closing

A broken needle is usually just thrown away.

Once a year, though, it is laid to rest in soft tofu or konnyaku, and someone puts their hands together for it. Hari-Kuyo shows a gentle side of everyday life in Japan: saying “thank you for your hard work” even to the smallest tool.

This year, December 8th is a Tuesday. On your way home, take a moment to remember the well-worn things that carry you through your days.