Nara City Tourism Association

●Date: Thursday, August 15, 2024

●Hours:

18:50- Memorial service (Kasugataisha Shrine grounds, Tobihino)

20:00- Fire lighting (Takamadoyama)

20:00- Concert (Kasugataisha precincts, Tobihino)

＊On August 15, there will be several events in the vicinity of Nara Park, and vehicle traffic regulations are scheduled to be enforced from the evening. Please use public transportation when coming to the venue.

Nara Daimonji Okuribi was started in 1960 as a memorial service for those who died in the war and is now held annually on August 15 as an event to pray for world peace and to console those who have died in disasters.

At 6:50 p.m., a Shinto memorial service will be held by the priests of Kasugataisha Shrine at Tobihino within the precincts of the shrine, followed by a Buddhist memorial service performed by priests from about 30 temples. At 8:00 p.m., the “Dai” character will be ignited on a fire bed on Takamadoyama Mountain, which is also mentioned in the Manyoshu(the oldest extant collection of poems in Japan). People will offer prayers while watching over the “Dai” character. The “大” can be seen from various places in Nara City, including the Heijo Palace Site and Ukimido Hall in Nara Park.

After the lighting of the fire, a concert by the NWOB Nara High School Alumni Brass Band will be held at Tobihino.

Every year, sponsorships are collected at the memorial service site to support the preservation and continuation of the Nara Daimonji Okuribi. As a token of appreciation, sponsors will receive a fan with the character “Dai” written on it from Todaiji Temple, Daianji Temple, and Saidaiji Temple. You can apply at the Nara City Tourist Information Center (next to JR Nara Station) or the Kintetsu Nara Station Tourist Information Center. All proceeds from the Daimonji fan sponsorship will be used for the preservation and continuation of the Nara Daimonji Okuribi.

● Sponsorship amount: 1,500 yen per Daimonji fan 

 <Reception desk by the day of Daimonji Okuribi>

Place: Nara City Tourist Information Center (next to JR Nara Station), Kintetsu Nara Station Tourist Information Center

<Reception on the day of the event>

●Place: Special tent at “Tobihino” in the precincts of Kasugataisha Shrine

●Reception hours: 16:00 – 20:30

The “Nara Daimonji Okuribi” design paintings (48 pieces in total) created by art and design students from Nara Prefectural Takamado High School of Arts will be exhibited at the Heijo Palace Izanai-kan in the Heijo Palace Site History Park.

Exhibition Details:

●Date: July 12 – August 15, 2024

●Place: Heijo Palace Izanai-kan, 3-5-1 Nijo-oji-minami, Nara City

●Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Last entry at 4:30 PM)

※This English text has been generated based on machine translation.