Old temples in Nara perform a ritual “Shunie” praying for national prosperity, a rich harvest and happiness for all people. Shunie at Todaiji Temple and Yakushiji Temple are also called “Omizutori” and “Hanaeshiki”, respectively, and are regarded as ceremonies which invite spring to the Kansai region
①Omizutori - Shunie at Todaiji Temple
“Shunie” at Todaiji Temple has continued for more than 1,250 years without break. The most famous feature of the ceremony is “Otaimatsu”. On the stage of Nigatsudo Hall at Todaiji Temple, huge torches (“taimatsu”) are swung by priests. The torch is 6 meters long and weighs 40 kg. It is believed that the fire on the torch burns away sins and impurity and that if the fire sparks fall on you, they will protect you from evil throughout the year. A bigger torch is added and a total of twelve torches appear on the night of January 12th. That night alone attracts as many as 20,000 to 30,000 visitors every year.
Dates: March 1st (Mon.) – 14th (Sun.), 2010
Starting time of “Otaimatsu” on March 1st – 11th and 13th: 19:00
March 12th: 19:30
March 14th: 18:30
Place: Nigatsudo Hall at Todaiji Temple (Zoshi-cho, Nara City)
Free of charge
Access: Take an inner city loop bus at JR/Kintetsu Nara Station
and get off at “Daibutsuden Kasuga Taisha Mae”.
Walk 10 minutes.
Contact: 0742-22-5511 (Todaiji Temple)
②Hanaeshiki - Shunie at Yakushiji Temple
This beautiful ceremony is called Hanaeshiki (flower ceremony) because ten kinds of artificial flowers (plum and peach blossoms, Japanese globeflowers, camellias, irises, lilies, chrysanthemums, cherry blossoms, wisterias and peonies) are offered to the principal statue of the temple. On the evening of April 5th, the last day of the ceremony, “Onioishiki” (demon-defeating ceremony) is performed in which a god “Bishamonten” drives out ogres who run wildly while carrying a torch.
Dates: March 30th (Tues.) – April 5th (Mon.), 2010
Place: Yakushiji Temple (457, Nishinokyo-cho, Nara City)
Admission: ￥800 for adults, ￥700 for senior、junior high school
students, ￥300 for elementary school children
Access: Near Kintetsu Nishinokyo Station
※To get to Nishinokyo Station from Kintetsu Kyoto/Nara Station,
change trains for Kashiharajingu-mae at Yamato Saidaiji Station.
Contact: Yakushiji Temple (0742-33-6001)
☆Useful tip☆
During the period prior to the Hanaeshiki ceremony, namely, from March 1st (Mon.) to 22nd (Mon.), the usually closed West Pagoda is opened to the public three times a day, at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00 for thirty minutes each time.
Once prospering as a town of Takatori Castle, one of Japan’s three largest mountain castles, Takatori-cho still contains many classical houses. An area including these houses on Tosa Street can be viewed as a theme park, and this will be the location for “Hina Dolls Display at Local Houses”. (Hina dolls are traditional dolls for celebrating Girl’s Day on March 3rd.)
Local people display their Hina dolls at house entrances, verandas and bay windows, etc. so that visitors can enjoy seeing them in the historical townscape .
Dates: March 1st (Mon.) - March 31st (Wed.), 2010 Time: 10:00-16:00 (opening hours vary depending on each site)
Place: Tosa Street and its neighborhood in Takatori-cho
including more than 50 private houses and the tourist
information center “Musokan”
Free of charge
Access: Near Tsubosakayama Station (Kintetsu Yoshino Line)
※To get to Tsubosakayama Station from Kintetsu
Kyoto/NaraStation, change trains at Yamato
Saidaiji Station forKashiharajingu-mae and
at the terminal (Kashiharajingu-mae),take
a Yoshino Line train.
Contact: 0744-52-1150 (Tourist information center “Musokan”)