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August Summer Suggestions & Obon Calendar
Interesting things to do, buy and experience

Obon Event Calendar
Japan's unique Obon Festival, an ancient religious rite to honour the souls of one's ancestors, is held throughout Japan. In Kyoto, most of the main public and family Obon rituals take place between the 14th and the 16th of August, however there are quite a few before and after this period as well.

Rokudo Mairi
A mairi is a visit to a temple or shrine for the purpose of prayer. Rokudo refers to the six states through which living beings transmigrate. From the lowest to highest, they are: (1) beings in hell,
(2) hungry ghosts, (3) beasts, (4) humans, (5) asuras, and (6) gods. As Obon approaches, people visit temples to summon their ancestors' spirits. The following two temples are famous for rokudo mairi.

8/7-10 Rokudo Chinno-ji Temple
In ancient times this temple was the entrance to a famous burial ground called Toribe-no, and the cross-roads in front of the temple were considered to be the very border between this world and the next. As Obon approaches, people come here between 6:00 and 23:00 to summon their ancestors' spirits by striking the temple bell. The approach is lined with food and trinket stalls. Many locals come to buy a branch called koya-maki, believing their ancestors' spirits can take hold of it and use it as a vehicle for returning to this world. Rokudo Chinno-ji Temple; Tel: 561-4129.

8/8-12&16 Senbon Shaka-do Temple
This temple's main hall, a National Treasure, is the oldest in Kyoto. For five days the principal image of the Buddha is displayed. The temple also houses other splendid Buddhist statues. On Kamishichiken, west of Senbon, north of Imadegawa; Tel: 461-5973.

Rokusai Nembutsu summer dances
Rokusai refers to the six days a month when demons were traditionally believed to be out and about. To keep people safe, Buddhist chants and dances were performed.
Nowadays, the dances take place mainly in August. Many of them are considered to be Important Intangible Cultural Assets.

8/9&16: Mibu-dera Temple: 20:00; Tel: 841-3381
8/15: Senbon Enma-do Temple: 19:00; Tel: 462-3332
8/16: Saiho-ji Moss Temple: 21:00; take bus #9 from Kyoto Stn. (40 min), or bus #1 from Sanjo Keihan Stn. (45 min), get off at Jinko-in mae; Tel: 492-5889
8/18: Kami-goryo Shrine: 20:30; southeast of Kuramaguchi subway Stn.; Tel: 441-2260
8/25: Kisshoin Tenmangu Shrine: 20:00; a few min. walk from JR Nishioji Stn.; Tel: 691-5303
8/31: Kofuku-ji Temple: 20:00; near Kuze-bashi in southern Kyoto (Minami-ku); Tel: 921-3625

Manto and Sento Ceremonies
Manto (ten thousand lights) and Sento (one thousand lights) ceremonies are memorial services held during Obon for the spirits of the departed. By the flickering lights of thousands of lanterns or candles,
people ask their ancestors for guidance. Manto ceremonies can be seen at many major temples throughout Japan.

8/5 Daigo-ji Temple
500 lanterns and 600 paper lanterns are lit up. The hall and five-story pagoda are also illuminated beautifully. A subtle and profound atmosphere; a few min. walk from Daigo Stn. on the Tozai subway line; Tel: 571-0002.

8/8-10 & 16 Rokuharamitsu-ji Temple
108 lanterns are arranged in the shape of the Chinese character dai or big. On Matsubara, east of Yamato-oji, Higashiyama-ku (close to Rokudo Chinno-ji); Tel: 561-6980.

8/9-16 Mibu Temple
Invocations are given at 20:00-20:30. A 1,000 candles and 1,100 lanterns are lit every night from dusk to 22:00. Special temple dance performances are held on the 9th and 16th; Tel: 841-3381.

8/14-16 Higashi Otani Cemetery
At this ancient cemetery, the ashes of the 13th century priest Shinran and 20,000 of his followers are entombed. Candles and lanterns are placed on all the tombstones from 19:00 to 21:00. The cemetery, set high on a hillside is also a good place to cool off and enjoy fine views of the city; on the mountainside southeast of Yasaka Shrine; Tel: 561-0777.

8/14-16 Kurumazaki Shrine
In this Shinto-style light ceremony, three-sided lanterns made of red, white, yellow, or green paper are lit, and prayers are said to bring success in business, the performing arts, and safety. From 8:00 to 22:00; Tel: 861-0039.

8/16 Togetsukyo Bridge & Hirosawa Pond
At dusk on August 16th, two floating lantern ceremonies, or manto nagashi, will be held: one at Arashiyama's Togetsukyo Bridge and another at Hirosawa Pond. Wood and paper lanterns with candles inside are set adrift, as a way to help lead the ancestral spirits back to the other world. In Arashiyama, thousands are set afloat: a beautiful sight! Togetsukyo Bridge and Hirosawa Pond.

8/23 & 24 Adashino Nembutsu-ji Temple
During this ceremony (reservation by mail accepted from 6/15; limited to 2,000 people), while priests chant sutras, candles are lit in the 8,000 stone lanterns on the temple grounds from 17:30 to 20:30; Tel: 861-2221.

Countryside Matsu-age torch lighting rituals
On the 15th and 24th, three of Kyoto's outlying communities hold matsu-age rituals during which a thousand torches burn around an enormous central pole, or matsu-age, made from the trunk of a
cryptomeria. To the slow, mysterious beat of a drum and gong, men from the village light small torches attached to a short length of twine, and hurl them up at the mass of dry grass and leaves atop the matsuage, some 70 feet above them, trying to set it alight. These festive and interesting rites date from a tradition of bonfires once offered to the deity of fire enshrined on Mt. Atago in western Kyoto. If you are a long-term resident, or a visitor with a bit of extra time in your schedule, these ceremonies offer a memorable glimpse at the rituals of rural Japan. However, as noted below, transportation can be a bit of a problem.

8/15 Hanase
To get there* take Kyoto Bus #32 from Demachiyanagi Stn., get off at Kasugasha-mae or Yamasu-bashi (2 hours). For more information call the Hanase Branch, of the Sakyo-ku Ward Office, Tel: 746-0215.

8/24 Kumogahata
To get there* take Kyoto Bus #37 from Demachiyanagi Stn., get off at Kounji-mae. Tel: 406-2001.

8/24 Hirogawara
To get there* take Kyoto Bus #32 from Demachiyanagi Stn., get off at Shimonocho (about 70 min); Tel: 746-0215.

*Note: As there is no public transportation back to Kyoto at night from any of these towns, it is suggested that you arrange private transportation or plan to spend the night.

Daimonji Gozan Okuribi (8/16)
The Daimonji Gozan Okuribi are lit on August 16th at around 20:00. These huge symbol fires, unique to Kyoto, guide the ancestral spirits back to where they came from. This event, which marks
the end of Obon in Kyoto, should not be missed. The first fire, and the most famous one, is daimonji (big character). It is lit high up the slopes of Mount Daimonji on the east side of town, above Ginkaku-ji Temple. The other fires are myo (life), ho (Buddhist law), funagata (ship), and hidari daimonji (the left daimonji fire). The most popular places to view the event are from the west side of the Kamogawa River (north of Marutamachi), from high buildings around Imadegawa, east of the river and a few less well-known spots on the eastern slopes of Mount Yoshida.

Kibune Summer Noodles

(C) Jacoba Akazawa		 Riverside Kibune is an excellent August destination and only a thirty minute ride north on the Eizan railway line from Demachiyanagi Stn. Kibune also offers a special summer treat, that is fun and inexpensive: nagashi, or "flowing", somen,
chilled noodles sent down a long bamboo chute to where you are sitting (each order comes in 6 or 7 little packets, that you have to catch with your chopsticks; left handers beware: noodles fly in from the left and can be hard to stop; use your hand if you have to). This meal can be unbelievably fun. Only one place offers nagashi somen in Kibune, it is at the north end of the village: 1) Hirobun; 1,200 yen; Tel: 741-2147; 2) Sagenta; 1,500 yen plus taxes; Tel: 741-2146.

Firework Display
Hanabi, or "fire flowers", have traditionally been and continue to be everyone's favorite diversion on hot and lazy August nights. The Kansai region has a number of giant fireworks displays that draw huge crowds.
High class fireworks ranging in size from nine to sixty centimeters (the heaviest weighs in at 250 kilograms) cost from 2,500 yen to 500,000 yen. A top-class display such as the one at Lake Biwako or Uji use up nearly fifty tons of gunpowder!

8/8 Biwako Hanabi Taikai
From 19:30 to about 21:00, in the vicinity of Niono-hama Beach; free; access: from JR Kyoto Station, take the Biwako line to either Otsu or Zeze Station (about a 15 minute ride). From there the viewing area is about a 10 minute walk to the north. Don't drive: the roads are too crowded!

Cool Hiking Destinations

Yamashiro Nakagawa
To reach Yamashiro Nakagawa, the starting point of this hike, take a JR bus for Yamashiro Nakagawa from platform #3 from Kyoto Station (about one hour). Before starting your hike be sure to have a look around Nakagawa village, where the bus lets you out. Then, backtrack about 300 meters to the Bodai-michi bus stop. This is where the hike begins. Turn left and follow the river. After about 30 minutes, you will arrive at Bodai-no-taki (The Bodhi Waterfall), an unbelievable natural spot, famous since ancient times. From there, continue for 15 minutes until the path forks. Keep to the right; you will return to this spot again. After a while, you will cross a bridge and reach Sawa-no-ike Pond. Now backtrack to the fork and follow the other path (next to the river) to exquisite Koetsu-ji Temple. Within the temple grounds there are seven tea ceremony houses and long sections of exquisite bamboo fencing. Then continue on the same path down to Genkoan-mae bus stop. From here you can continue walking (south) to Kitaoji (about 4 km) or take the bus into Kyoto.

Kiyotaki to Takao
Hiking the Tokai Natural Way will not only stretch your legs; it will also bring you face to face with the wonders of Kyoto's Western hills and some off-the-beaten-track ancient Buddhist art. To get started head to Keifuku Arashiyama Station. From the bus stop in front of the station, take Kyoto Bus #62 or #72 to the end station Kiyotaki (about 10 minutes). From there, walk along the Kiyotaki River, following the Tokai Natural Way to Takao (about an hour and a half's walk). Along the way, you'll pass by three famous temples. The first is Jingo-ji located on Takao Mountain. From Jingo-ji continue on to Makio Saimyo-ji Temple (about 20 minutes). From Saimyo-ji the trail heads to Togano-o Kozanji Temple (another 20 minutes). From Kozanji you can catch a JR bus from the Togano-o bus stop back to Kyoto Station. End of hike!