“Yamanobe-no-michi” is said to be the oldest trail in Japan. This hike is organized to protect the irreplaceable natural environment and cultural heritage by picking up litter along the trail. At departure, garbage bags are handed to participants. Hikers start at either Sakurai Station or Tenri Station and walk to the Trail Center in the middle, which is the goal of the hike. A small present is given in exchange for a bag of collected litter.
Date: Sunday, September 26, 2010 (start at 9:30)
Place: Tenri Station / Sakurai Station (North Exit)
Contact: Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division,
Tenri City (0743-63-1001)
Tourism Division, Sakurai City (0744-42-9111)
Access:
Tenri Station: Take a Sakurai Line (Man’yo Mahoroba Line) train
at JR Nara Station and get off at Tenri Station.
Sakurai Station: Take a Sakurai Line (Man’yo Mahoroba Line)
train at JR Nara Station and get off at Sakurai
Station.
A Buddhist ritual praying for the health and longevity of elderly people is held on the national holiday “Respect for the Aged Day”. The ceremony also includes a sermon and lecture.
Date: Monday, September 20, 2010 (start at 9:30)
Place: Abe Monjuin Temple
Contact: Abe Monjuin Temple (0744-43-0002)
Access: A 20-minute walk from JR/Kintetsu Sakurai Station.
Or, take a Nara Kotsu bus at the station for Ishibutai
and get off at Abe Monjuin Mae. The temple is close
to the bus stop
The 342m-high Wakakusayama Hill is one of the features representing Nara. The hill shows different beauty in each season. In this season, cool autumn breezes and beautifully colored leaves welcome hikers.
Dates: September 11 (Saturday) – November 28 (Sunday) (9:00 – 17:00)
Place: Wakakusayama Hill
Contact: Nara Park Management Office (0742-22-0375)
Access: At JR/Kintetsu Nara Station, take a City Loop bus (Nara Kotsu) and get off at “Daibutsuden Kasuga Taisha Mae”. Walk 15 minutes.
Admission fee: ￥150 for adults (junior high school students or older)
￥80 for children (3 years old or older)
For a group of 30 people or more:
￥120 for adults
￥80 for children
On September 17th every year, the Jushichiya ceremony is carried out with the light of countless lanterns. At the square beneath the Hall, the Jushichiya Bon dance (dedicated to spirits of the deceased) is also held.
The seventeenth day of each month is the day related to Kannon (a Buddhist deity). Especially, August 17th of the lunar calendar is called “Jushichiya” (the seventeenth night) and Buddhist rituals and events are held at various temples of Kannon in Japan.
The Jushichiya Bon dance at the Nigatsudo Hall was revived in 1993. Anyone may participate in this dance held at the square beneath the Hall. This Bon dance was said to have been the last among the many Bon dances in Nara or even in the entire Kansai Region. Buddhist ritual is held at the main hall of Nigatsudo from 18:00 and the Bon dance starts at 18:30 and finishes around 21:00.
Countless numbers of lanterns are lit in the main Nigatsudo Hall on this day from early morning till around 20:00. In the evening, stone lanterns along the approach to Nigatsudo Hall are also lit (more than 130 stone lanterns along the approach to Daibutsuden Hall and at the south of Kagamiike Pond as well as those placed around Nigatsudo Hall). Additionally, around 300 lanterns with pictures or wishes drawn on them are set around the main Nigatsudo Hall. The hall illuminated with these lanterns exhibits a picturesque beauty (from around 18:00 to 21:00).
Date: Friday, September 17, 2010 (start at 18:00)
Place: Todaiji Nigatsudo Hall
Contact: Todaiji Temple (0742-22-3386)
Access: From JR/Kintetsu Nara Station, take a City Loop bus
(Nara Kotsu) and get off at “Daibutsuden Kasuga Taisha
Mae”, then walk 15 minutes.
More than 20,000 candles and lanterns illuminate autumn nights of Asuka and create a world of fantasy. The lighting is from 18:00 to 21:00. Some sightseeing facilities and temples are also lit up (with electric lighting).
◇Admission: Free
Dates: September 18 (Saturday) and 19 (Sunday), 2010
Place: Asuka Village
Contact: Asuka-mura Tourism Development Corporation
(0744-54-4577)
Access: Take an Asuka excursion bus (Nara Kotsu) from Kintetsu
Kashihara Jingu Mae Station or from Kintetsu Asuka Station.
Get off at Ishibutai.
The statue of high priest Ganjin who established the temple is enshrined in the Mieido Hall of the temple. The hall’s garden is specially opened to the public on this day. A Buddhist ritual is held to view the autumn moon with Ganjin.
◇Admission to the temple is free after 18:00. For admission to Mieido Hall, \500 is charged.
Date: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 (18:00 – 21:00)
Place: Toshodaiji Temple
Contact: Toshodaiji Temple (0742-33-7900)
Access: From JR Nara Station, take a Nara Kotsu bus for
Rokujoyama and get off at Toshodaiji. The temple
is close to the station.Alternatively, walk 8 minutes
from Kintetsu Nishinokyo Station.
The history of “deer-antler cutting” dates back to the 17th century. It started in order to prevent deer from hurting people with their antlers. The coexistence of people and deer gave birth to this event and has been cherished over a long period of time as both a preventive measure and a traditional event.
Dates: October 9 (Saturday), 10 (Sunday), and 11 (Monday), 2010
12:00 - 15:00 (Entry is allowed until 14:30.)
Place: Rokuen (deer pen) in Nara Park
Contact: Foundation for the Protection of Deer in Nara Park (0742-22-2388)
Access: Take a City Loop Bus (Nara Kotsu) from JR/Kintetsu Nara Station and get off at “Kasuga Taisha Omotesando”. Walk 7 minutes east along the approach to Kasuga Taisha Shrine.
Admission: ￥1,000 for adults (junior high school students or older)
￥500 for children (elementary school students)
For a group of 20 people or more, ￥800 for adults
￥400 for children
This Buddhist ceremony is held to remember the high virtue of Emperor Temmu (who lived in the 7th century) with about 1000 lanterns. Portraits of Emperor Temmu, Empress Jito and Prince Otsu painted by artist Ogura Yuki are enshrined in the grand hall. This is an event for commemorating Emperor Temmu who made a great contribution in laying the foundation of Japanese spiritual culture.
Date: Friday, October 8, 2010 (start at 19:00)
Place: Yakushiji Temple
Contact: Yakushiji Temple (0742-33-6001)
Access: Get off at Kintetsu Nishinokyo Station. The temple is close to the station. Alternatively, take a Nara Kotsu Bus for Rokujoyama from JR Nara Station and get off at Yakushiji. The temple is close to the bus stop.