Supporting the preservation of a precious group of Buddhist statues cared for by local residents: Suikyou Co., Ltd. will donate a portion of the proceeds from its charity event “Shoufukuten” (Lucky Fortune Exhibition) (¥50,000) to the preservation organization for the Kannon Hall of Kenhoji Temple in Shizuoka City.
Suikyou Co., Ltd. Press Release: October 28, 2025 Supporting the preservation of a precious group of Buddhist statues cared for by local residents: Suikyou Co., Ltd. will donate a portion of the proceeds from its charity event “Shoufukuten” (Lucky Fortune Exhibition) (¥50,000) to the preservation organization for the Kannon Hall of Kenhoji Temple in Shizuoka City. ~A presentation ceremony will be held to coincide with the special open day on November 3rd~ The Shoufukuten Executive Committee (Representative: Shohei Sano) will donate a portion of the proceeds from the charity event “Shoufukuten” (50,000 yen) held on Monday, November 3, 2025 (national holiday), to the Takeho Neighborhood Association, which is dedicated to preserving and managing the Buddhist statues at the Kannon Hall of Takehoji Temple in Shizuoka City. The Shoufukuten Executive Committee is the organization responsible for managing the charity event “Shoufukuten,” sponsored by “Dento-ya Akatsuki,” an online shopping site operated by Ikikyo Co., Ltd. (Location: Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture; Representative: Shohei Sano). The company is engaged in activities to pass on traditional Japanese culture to the next generation. On the day, a presentation ceremony will be held at approximately 11:30 AM, in conjunction with the special opening of the Kannon Hall (10:00 AM – 3:00 PM).
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Neighborhood Association Content: Donation presentation ceremony * Kannon Hall will be open to the public from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM ■ Background of the Donation The Shoufukuten Executive Committee organizes the Shoufukuten as part of its efforts to support Japan’s unique and endangered techniques and culture, guided by the philosophy of “utilizing technology and returning it to artisans.” Japan is home to 11 of only a few dozen companies in the world that have been in business for over 1,000 years, and the country itself has continued unchanged for over 2,000 years, making it the country with the greatest ability to pass on its heritage. In recent years, affluence has become commonplace, and we feel a sense of crisis that gratitude for the connections that have brought us to the present has faded. We believe we have a responsibility to pass on to the future the Japanese spirituality that our ancestors risked their lives to entrust to the next generation. With this in mind, we donate a portion of the proceeds from the “Shoufukuten” exhibition every year to individuals and organizations committed to preserving Japan’s traditional crafts, techniques, and culture. [Past donation record] 2024: Supported lacquer artisans in Ishikawa Prefecture affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake. 2023: Donated wooden masks for use in dance performances to a high school club in Shizuoka Prefecture that preserves local traditional performing arts. 2022: Donated to Fuji City. 2021: Donated to Fuji City Hospital (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). ■ About this year’s donation destination What is Kenhoji Kannon Hall? Kenho Kannon Hall is located at 2-12-6 Kenho, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City. Kenhoji Temple, said to have been founded in the ancient Asuka period, once boasted such magnificent temple buildings that it was nicknamed “Suruga’s Mount Koya.” During the Edo period, it flourished as one of Suruga’s largest temples, even receiving a grant of 480 koku of land from Tokugawa Ieyasu. Unfortunately, due to the anti-Buddhist movement and fire in the early Meiji period, the temple was abandoned. Amidst this misfortune, some of the Buddhist statues that had been handed down to Kenhoji Temple were rescued and carefully preserved by the devout villagers of the time. In 1975, the Kenho Neighborhood Association built the Kenho Kannon Hall to house these statues. The hall houses approximately 60 precious Buddhist statues dating from the Heian period through the Edo period.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/145274/24/145274-24-a4693891d1fd5d12317fa014bae7facb-1168×1744.jpg Activities of Tateho Neighborhood Association The Takeho Neighborhood Association manages Takeho Kannon Hall and has worked hard to preserve and maintain the Buddhist statues enshrined within. Some of the statues are designated cultural assets of Shizuoka Prefecture and Shizuoka City. To carefully preserve these and many other precious statues, the neighborhood association works hard on daily maintenance, cleaning, and crime prevention measures at the Kannon Hall, and also holds special free public viewings several times a year. Usually, ancient Buddhist statues that are objects of worship are owned and managed by temples. However, Takeho Kannon Hall is not under the management of a specific temple, and therefore cannot rely on donations from parishioners for maintenance costs. These statues, which are extremely valuable as historical and cultural resources for Shizuoka Prefecture, have miraculously been preserved thanks to the kindness of the Takeho neighborhood association over the years.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/145274/24/145274-24-c234becaac0f226e6f398ac4a336be13-919×1200.jpg Members of the Takeho Shrine Kannon Hall Council, which has long been in charge of managing the Kannon Hall Reasons for selecting the donation recipient For many years, the Takeho Neighborhood Association has worked hard to protect and pass on to future generations these precious cultural assets, which are considered treasures of the people of Shizuoka Prefecture. When damaged Buddhist statues need repair, subsidies are sometimes available if they are designated as cultural properties by the prefecture or city, but these only cover a portion of the actual costs. For undesignated Buddhist statues, the entire cost must be covered by donations from residents. As mentioned above, the Buddhist statues enshrined in Takeho Kannon-do might have been lost, but they have miraculously been preserved thanks to the goodwill and efforts of local residents. It is believed to be a rare example nationwide of such a large collection of Buddhist statues being maintained through the dedicated service of a single neighborhood association. We are grateful for their many years of hard work, and have decided to donate these statues in the hope that they will continue to be properly preserved and that they will contribute to the advancement of expert research. Donation amount: [50,000 yen] Use: [Preservation and maintenance costs for the Buddhist statues at Takeho Kannon Hall, etc.]
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/145274/24/145274-24-e209f8fcaf73be4d73ae09dc0996700f-1200×800.jpg ■ What is the “Shoufukuten”? The “Shoufukuten” is a charity event organized by Dentoya Akatsuki, which has been held annually since 2021. The 2025 event will mark the 5th anniversary. This event provides local residents of all ages and genders with an opportunity to experience Japan’s proud traditional crafts, such as straw crafts and kite paintings. A wide variety of traditional crafts are on display and for sale, including steel jewelry, washi paper products, straw crafts, and kite paintings. In addition, straw craft artisans and kite artists will hold live demonstrations and sales, providing a rare opportunity to see the artisans’ skills up close. Under the theme of “Utilizing technology and giving back to artisans,” we aim to create an environment where everyone connected with our artisans – customers who purchase our products, those who receive them as gifts, and artisans – can be happy. We donate a portion of our sales to organizations working to preserve traditional culture for future generations. The event is planned and run by the Shoufukuten Executive Committee, made up of artisans and volunteer staff, and is held every year with the cooperation of many people. Recent Events January 8th-16th, 2025, at Takoman Nagayamon (Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture)
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/145274/24/145274-24-1e7a11667df8f41be08ab4e118eaab0a-494×474.jpg ■ Thoughts regarding this donation
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/145274/24/145274-24-d7eec8fcdfb97dc912c018feb633bbe7-700×702.jpg Shohei Sano, Representative, Shofuku Exhibition Executive Committee Japan’s traditional culture is an irreplaceable asset that our ancestors risked their lives to pass on to the next generation. I believe that the efforts of the Takeho Neighborhood Association, who have continued to protect this precious collection of Buddhist statues through the power of their community, truly symbolize the “power to pass on” that Japanese people possess. We hope that this donation will aid in local cultural heritage preservation efforts and provide an opportunity for even more people to experience the wonder of traditional Japanese culture. Through the “Shoufukuten” exhibition, we will continue to work to bring happiness to artisans, customers, local residents, and everyone in between.
