The Koyasan Buddhist Temple, 342 E. First St. in Little Tokyo, will hold a new event, the Daikoku Festival, on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 1:30 p.m.
While the restaurants in Little Tokyo have been battered by COVID-19, and various shops have been struggling to find ways to revitalize the town, the statue of Daikokuten, which is enshrined in the Koyasan Buddhist Temple, will be on hand to pray for the prosperity of Little Tokyo and its businesses. The event will be limited and open to those who have reserved and follow COVID-19 guidelines.
The LA Koyasan Taiko will be performing to open the event. Attendees and the Little Tokyo stores will be given lucky pennies or coins for prosperity.
Ryuta Yamamoto-yama, a former Makuuchi sumo wrestler, will be dressed as Daikokuten (the god of wealth) and walk through Little Tokyo wishing everyone good fortune. Yamamoto-yama is also a Los Angeles actor and has held several U.S. Sumo Opens in this country.
Koyasan Buddhist Temple hopes that this event will continue to develop and help bring back vitality to Little Tokyo.
For more information, call (213) 624-1267 or visit www.koyasanbetsuin.org.